Phantom Reborn
by JaxxMaxx
Summary: Just before high school graduation, Amity Park is stricken with Danny's sudden death. Grieving over the loss of her boyfriend, the young hybrid Michelle Durante tries to get through the summer without him. Lemons in later chapters.
1. The Demon

I do not own Danny Phantom. Michelle Durante however is mine. This is the second remake of an older story on my deviantART. To read about it and Michelle, please refer to my deviantART. I also have oneshots on here about Michelle's general role in the DP universe.

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 _"Being a senior meant a lot of things. More freedom, more privileges, not to mention the day we graduate is the day we start our lives the real way. I was more than ready to start it, eager to see what was next for me." - Michelle Durante_

It was a late, Friday afternoon in the city called Amity Park. The sun began its descent as the town buzzed in excitement. It was the first week of June; and the younger citizens were more than ready for their summer vacation to begin. The seniors of Casper High especially were ready to leave their old lives behind and begin anew.

The local hotspot, The Nasty Burger, was filled to the brim tonight with friends and couples chattering away. Four teenagers in particular waited eagerly for their food.

"Order 273 is ready!" An employee with short black hair called as she placed a full tray on the counter.

Michelle Durante hurried over to the counter, picking up the tray. "Thanks, Nat." she responded to her younger sister.

"No problem, hey, mind if I can catch a ride home?" Natalie asked, leaning against the counter with hopeful eyes. "My shift ends in an hour."

Michelle snorted. "Find your own ride, I'll be elsewhere." She turned on her heel, flicking her long hair to whip Natalie in the face. She walked away as her sister scoffed and whined in annoyance. She chuckled as she neared her table, where Danny, Sam, and Tucker were waiting.

"Wow, don't you two ever get along?" Danny asked, his voice trembling as he held back a laugh.

Michelle rolled her eyes, taking her seat next to him. "Sure we do, just about as much as you and Jazz do."

"Yeah, but she doesn't give me attitude." Responded Danny, raising an eyebrow.

"That's because they're both girls," Sam added. "Girls are nastier than boys."

"Ain't that the truth," Tucker grunted as he chewed on some fries. "Girls can be heartless sometimes."

"And yet, you still chase after them like a lovesick puppy." Michelle snickered.

Tucker opened his mouth to respond, only to have his face contort into an expression of confusion, and then defeat. "Okay, you got me there." He sighed heavily.

The other three laughed as they began to eat. Danny swallowed a bite of his burger before speaking, "Hey Tuck, I know you'll get lucky one day."

"That's easy for you to say, you've been with Michelle for four years!" Tucker exclaimed.

"Uh, not necessarily-" Michelle began.

"Well, besides breaking up in junior year. Regardless, you guys got back together." Tucker interjected.

"And what does that have to do with your lack of romance?" Danny inquired.

"Why are we even bringing up Tucker's love life?" Sam sighed, resting her head on her hand, looking incredibly bored. "I mean, he is the Mayor. He could have anyone he wanted."

"So could either of these guys!" Tucker gestured with a sweep of his hand, toward Danny and Michelle. "They saved the world, anyone would want to jump their bones."

Danny snorted quite loudly, spewing droplets of the Cola he was drinking.

"So, wait. How did we go from talking about Tucker's lack of dating to our love life?" Michelle quizzically pointed out. "What do we have to do with anything?"

Tucker huffed in annoyance, leaning back and folding his arms. "You guys are lucky, ya know. How often do you see high school couples lasting very long? You two are very different, but you two still love one another."

Michelle and Danny glanced at one another, before turning their attention back to Tucker. "So?" they said in unison.

"And that's my point!" Tucker said. "You're super lucky, but I'm not so much. Every date I've been on has led to dead ends. Girls are interested in me because of the power I have, not because of me as a person. Either that, or they're freaked out by the huge amounts of tech I'm carrying- shut up," he added with a small scowl as the couple gave him a look, "But you guys already have each other, instead of going for any one of your mass amounts of fans."

Michelle blinked slowly. "So, you are jealous."

"Yes!" Tucker whined. "I want to have a relationship like you do."

Danny chuckled at that, wrapping an arm around Michelle's shoulders. "It's not based on luck, Tuck. It's based on fate."

"Fate?" Sam repeated, her lips curling into a smile of amusement. "What are you, a fortune teller?"

As the others laughed, Danny added, "What I mean is, the right girl could be right in front of you and you may not know it until the right time."

"When did you get all wise?" Michelle giggled, giving her boyfriend a light smack on the shoulder.

Danny laughed in response. "Just saying."

"So, does that mean Michelle is 'the one'?" Tucker asked with an air quote. "Plan to marry her and have kids with her and all that?"

Michelle felt her cheeks burn, and turned her attention to her food below her. The table went silent.

"Maybe." She heard Danny say, his response light. She looked up at him, blinking in surprise. His eyes met hers briefly.

"That's cute," Sam chuckled. "So sweet I could get cavities."

The teens chuckled for a moment before the table went silent again, replaced by the sounds of them munching on their food.

Upon finishing, they threw out the remnants and headed out of the restaurant, towards their cars. It was twilight now; the last rays of the sun slowly disappearing beyond the horizon as stars twinkled faintly above. The air was warm and dry, a gentle breeze stirring up Michelle's hair as she walked toward her truck. They were headed to the movies next.

As the trio laughed and joked ahead of her, Michelle's mind was elsewhere. The thought of marriage. The way Danny responded to Tucker's question. Did he really think about marrying her? She'd never given it much thought before; she was always focused on the future, her life and career after high school. She told Danny that she'd be going back to Texas for college, and they discussed the idea of a long distance relationship. The thought of being far from him unsettled her, however he assured it would be fine. She trusted his word, and it hadn't been a topic for a while.

She'd reached her truck, and her hand hovered over the handle as she hesitated, more thoughts popping into her mind. Could they last that long? And after college, what then? Was marriage a possible step in their life? She envisioned herself in a long, white dress, standing opposite of Danny, who was wearing a handsome tuxedo. Speaking their vows, exchanging rings, taking his last name…

"Hey, Michelle?"

Michelle jumped slightly, her train of thought snapping and bringing her back to reality. She turned to see Danny standing a few feet away, looking mildly concerned. "Yeah?"

"You alright? You look a little off." He pointed out.

Michelle shook her head. "Yeah, no, I'm fine. Sorry." She murmured, opening the door.

Before she could climb in, a flash of heat shot up her spine, forming in orange smoke that poured out of her mouth. She glanced over at Danny, whose blue vapor slid out of his mouth. They locked eyes, and, without saying a word, sprinted out into the opening area of the parking lot.

"We'll catch up with you two later!" Danny shouted towards Sam and Tucker, who were in the process of getting into Sam's car. Without waiting for a response, Danny launched himself into the air, a familiar flash of blue energy surrounding his body, transforming him into Danny Phantom.

Michelle followed suit, the pull of gravity releasing her as she joined Danny in the air. "What now?" she groaned in annoyance.

"I don't know," Danny sighed. "Let's hope it's an easy battle, the movie starts in twenty minutes."

Before Michelle could respond, a shrill scream cut through the air. The two hybrids turned their attention to its source just down the street. People sprinted towards them with looks of pure terror plastered on their faces. Just mere seconds later, the thuds of large footsteps followed. Danny and Michelle flew closer to inspect.

What they saw was unlike any ghost they've fought before. It was huge; towering over the three-story buildings lining the street. Its body was lean and completely pitch black, aside from the bright, slit red eyes and the green aura. The one feature that caught Michelle's attention was a long, spiked tail that swung idly behind it.

"What the-?" Danny gasped. "What is that?"

"Hell if I know, but let's beat this thing so we can catch our movie!" Michelle hissed.

The monster was swinging at people, trying to grab them as they frantically tried to get away. It had its head turned from her. Taking the chance, she pelted toward it, forming fire in her fists and thrust her arms out, shooting out flames like bullets that sprinkled its body. The monster roared, turning its attention toward her. Raising one large arm, it tried to swing at her with a backhand motion. She halted and dropped a few feet, only feeling the rush of wind against her face as its hand passed by.

"Gonna have to do better than that!" she taunted with a grin.

The monster was about to swing again when a beam of green ectoplasm met its arm halfway. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Danny flying in, his hands lit with pure ectoplasmic energy.

The monster began to swing wildly at Danny, who wasn't as quick to dodge. He was smacked by its massive hand, swatted away like a fly. Danny smashed into a nearby building, leaving cracks before sliding down to the concrete below. Michelle winced in sympathy and quickly turned back to the monster, only to be met by its other hand.

The wind was knocked out of her by the sheer force, her body only soaring through the air for a split second before meeting the asphalt below. Stars erupted in her vision as the back of her head cracked against the blacktop. She opened her eyes, the world spinning for a moment before settling and clearing again. The monster began its chase on the citizens once again.

"Hey!" Michelle bellowed, levitating high. "That hurt!"

The monster turned its head toward her, and she shot a beam of ectoplasm directly at its eyes. It screeched and stumbled backward, tripping over a couple of cars. It rubbed its eyes.

"Quick, while it's distracted!" Danny screamed from a few yards away. She could see he recovered from this knock back as he flew up next to her, looking a little roughed up, and quite annoyed.

"Don't need to tell me twice!" Michelle responded. They flew closer, throwing ectobeams all over its body. The monster swatted at them, failing as they dodged its limbs easily.

As many attacks as they threw, they couldn't seem to create any damage to the thing. It continued to swing at them like someone swatting away at mosquitoes. After a moment, it ceased and vanished before their eyes, leaving no trace in its wake. Michelle froze, looking around wildly.

"Keep your guard up!" Danny commanded, flying backwards from the spot. Michelle nodded, flying up higher, allowing a bird's eye view of the block. Her purple eyes darting back and forth. Everything was eerily silent, nothing moving except for the remaining citizens darting into buildings.

A chill ran up her spine, the hairs standing up on the back of her neck. Something felt very off. It was rare when they'd come across a ghost that's set off a high level of uneasiness. Despite the warmth, her body shivered involuntarily, goosebumps erupting on her bare skin. She swung her head left and right, turning around completely. Nothing. Her eyes met Danny's who was just a little ways away. His look of confusion quickly turned to that of panic. His eyes widened and he reached out to her his mouth opening.

She didn't get to find out what he was going to say; as something heavy smacked her across the back. Everything around her was a blur as she hurtled toward a brick building, smashing face first into the solid wall. Pain shot through the front of her body as her back stung and burned wildly. Blood rushed through her ears as-no, it was a roar.

Peeling herself off the building, she spun around to see the monster had reappeared, its tail swishing back and forth, reminding her of a dragon. Danny had taken charge to attack it, ectoplasmic beams flying as it swatted once again. It caught Danny on the side, sending him spiraling to the ground. Once Danny hit the pavement, the creature turned around once again to resume its terror.

Michelle shot over to Danny. The ghost boy groaned and slowly sat up from the small crater that surrounded him. He rubbed the side of his head, looking extremely irritated. "What does it take to beat this thing?" he exasperated.

She stared at it, observing its features once again. Her lips pursed in thought. She exhaled as a last puff of smoke released from her mouth. "None of our attacks are working, we might have to try a different approach."

"You got anything in mind?"

Michelle began to think hard. The skin was impenetrable; that was obvious. She eyed the upper torso. The shoulders were broad, yet the joints themselves appeared very weakly connected. A light bulb went off. "Let's tear its limbs off."

Danny didn't question it. He stood up, brushing the debris from his body as he took off toward the monster, determination and anger plain in his face. Michelle was only a millisecond behind him. They flew at it side by side, splitting into opposite directions as the creature attempted to swing at them once again. It tried to go after Danny, however, Michelle was quick. She snagged at one of its wrists, its skin felt cold and scaly. Her muscles bulged as she held on tight, resisting the drag of its arm. The monster struggled to free its arm, just as Danny caught the other. With the two pulling as hard as they could, the monster screeched once again. It wriggled in their grips, trying desperately to free itself.

She could hear the gruesome sound of flesh tearing within the creature's arm, and the tension began to give way. Michelle pulled harder, her own arms beginning to grow sore. With one final yank, the arm ripped free from the body, just as Danny did the same on the other side. Green ectoplasmic blood splattered from the gaping sockets, a few droplets landing on her and more staining the surrounding the area.

The screams of the monster did not subside. As its now severed arms lay limp on the ground, it swiftly turned on its feet as the tail swung around, its spiky end catching Michelle in the gut. A searing, burning pain erupted in her abdomen as she was once again tossed like a ragdoll, hovering for what only felt like a millisecond before slamming into something else. Glass shattered and the metal crumpled around her from impact as an alarm began to wail, telling her a car had broken her fall. Her head pounded, her skin stung from the razor sharp glass shards, although her stomach felt worse. With her vision hazy, she turned her attention to the source of the pain in her stomach.

Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, she could see it was a spike. Up close, the surface was not smooth; it was serrated with many smaller spikes sticking outward, and it oozed a sickly green substance. The larger end was broken clean off. She couldn't tell how deep it was, nor if it ruptured her organs.

She gripped the spike, the rough edges poking her fingers as it burned more into her skin. She cried out in pain and bit her lip, trying to pull it out as it clung to the tear in her skin. With a deep breath, she yanked it out in one go. A squelching sound followed, and almost made her sick to her stomach as she let out a strained cry. Tossing the spike aside, she looked down at the damage. A gaping hole about the size of an egg sat just above her belly button, ectoplasmic blood steadily pouring out of the open wound. The green ooze from the spike surrounded the wound and slowly seeped in, painfully stinging the inside.

The sight of it and the pain combined sent her head reeling, and she could feel her meal rising up her throat again. Swallowing hard, she pushed herself out of the wrecked car. Knowing that the wound could heal fairly quickly, she tried to push it in the back of her mind. Now, it was time to help Danny.

The sounds of the fight rang in her ears as she turned to see Danny having more luck than she was. He was able to dodge the tail and he continued to hammer the monster. He doubled back and shot forward, slamming his fist into its face with such force that it teetered backwards on its feet.

Michelle grinned, eager to jump back into the battle. However, another sound stopped her in her tracks. It was strange; crackling sound that emanated from the creature's body. And before her eyes, a new set of arms quickly regrew from the sockets. It stood up, letting out a roar that almost sounded as if it was laughing.

From above, Danny looked horrified. Michelle's eyes widened, and her fists clenched. This thing had regenerative powers?

Her fists erupted into flames as she brought her arms up, ready to throw a fastball of fire. However, her arms collapsed at her sides, the fire burning out. She tried to lift them back up, only to realize she could no longer feel them.

"What…?" she croaked, her mouth dry. Numbness was spreading throughout her entire body. Her legs crumpled beneath her as her knees hit the ground awkwardly, and then fell to her side. Her head spun dizzily as her vision began to grow dark. She tried to move her lips, only to find they were numb as well. She struggled to move even an inch as the last thing she saw was Danny tackling the monster, before she was engulfed in total darkness.


	2. Gone

_"Death. Once it strikes a loved one, what can you do? Absolutely nothing. No matter how much you want to try and bring them back, you know nothing will work." - Michelle Durante_

It was black. Everything was black. Nothing was visible; not even her own body. She tried to take a breath, only to find it impossible. She coughed as a heavy pressure fell on her chest. Trying to move felt physically impossible, as if she were tied down tightly. She opened her mouth to make a sound, a cry of help. The noise died in her throat.

Am I dying? She thought to herself. Was this what death was like?

Suddenly, a beep broke through the abyss. It was muffled, and sounded distant, but it was there. It was a slow and continuous beep. The abyss began to lighten as the beeping grew louder, accompanied by…voices?

Michelle opened her eyes. In her blurred vision, she could see white walls. The smell of clean linen and disinfecting product hit her nose. She turned her head to the left, realizing the beeping sound originated from a machine. On the black screen she could see a moving, spiked green line. Dread pooled into her stomach when she realized she was in the hospital.

"Michelle?"

She recognized that voice. She turned her head to the right to see her mother and sister, sitting in chairs lined up on the wall. Amelia had a look of relief, meanwhile Natalie had a small smile on her face.

"Oh baby, you're awake." Amelia choked, immediately jumping up from her chair, wrapping her arms around Michelle.

The weight of her mother sent a sharp ache through her muscles. She automatically let out a small cry, and immediately shut her mouth. Amelia saw this, and backed off immediately. "I'm sorry, I just-we were so close to losing you." Her voice wavered, as if about to cry.

"What…?" Michelle rasped, frowning deeply. "Losing me? Was I dying?"

Amelia let out a shuddering sigh. "Y-you were poisoned, by that…ghost," she nearly spat the word. "The doctors cleaned out your wound as best as they could, but you w-were…on the verge…" Amelia stuttered, swallowing hard before continuing. "But they said you were already healing because of the ectoplasm in your system."

Michelle blinked slowly, taking in the information. Poison. She thought back to that spike that had been embedded into her abdomen. Gingerly, she lifted the sheet and pushed aside the hospital gown. The wound was now covered with a thick layer of gauze and medical tape, a little bit of blood had been soaked up. It did not sting like before.

The sound of a door opening roused her attention. She released the blanket and glanced up to see a nurse walk in. Their eyes met, and the nurse had a smile of relief written on her face.

"You're awake," she breathed. "How do you feel?"

Michelle hesitated. Her body felt heavy, and she herself felt quite drowsy. She glanced at the IV line attached to her before turning her attention back to the nurse. "Tired…confused."

The nurse nodded. "I would imagine. That poison took quite the toll on your body, in addition to the fight you were in."

Michelle sighed heavily. She gazed down at her hands, which were clean and free of battle wounds. She thought about the fight, how much she and Danny were tossed around. She remembered Danny tackling the monster before everything went black.

She frowned slightly. Danny.

"Hey- where's Danny?" she asked, looking towards Amelia. "Did he win and send that thing back to the Ghost Zone?"

Amelia exchanged a glance with Natalie, both looking unsure and confused. "Um…"

"Danny Fenton…he's currently in the ICU." The nurse explained.

The ICU? "What? Why?" Michelle demanded sitting up instantly. "What happened?"

The nurse swallowed before responding, "He received the same poison you did, only…in a much higher dose. They're trying to stabilize him as we speak."

"That's good, right?" Michelle insisted. "He should be fine, his ectoplasm heals just like mine does."

"It's not that simple," the nurse replied, almost hesitantly. "He was unconscious by the time the ambulance arrived…there were at least a dozen spikes…he was bleeding heavily…"

The words fell hard. Her hands slowly began to clench into fists, her heart beginning to beat rapidly as told by the machine on her bedside. Her head shook, over and over, as if trying to erase what the nurse had explained. He could pull through this, he had to.

"He's got to be alive."

"Honey, I'm sure they're doing the best they can-" Amelia began to say.

"No, he's gotta be!" Michelle interjected, her voice raising.

"Michelle, please calm down. Your mother is right, they are giving it their all." The nurse patiently responded.

"Then tell me he'll survive." Michelle demanded, sitting up straighter against her bed and scowling wildly at the nurse. The nurse's eyes widened and she broke eye contact, staring down at the floor.

The silence was painful. The nurse couldn't give her a straight answer. Her fingers angrily gripped at the blanket. Danny was somewhere else in this hospital, his body had to be slowly recovering just like hers.

"I want to go see him." she declared. Before the other three could react, she yanked off the sensors from her chest, pulled out her IV with a wince, pushed her blankets aside and swung her legs over.

"Wait-" Amelia started, reaching out to halt her.

"No!" Michelle hissed, and forced herself to her feet. Her legs nearly buckled underneath, and she clung to the rails of the bed, steadying herself, letting the strength return to her limbs. She felt hands on her shoulders, and she shrugged them off. "Let me see him."

"You're too weak-" the nurse tried to explain, yet Michelle didn't listen. She forced herself past the three. Her legs still wobbly, yet her willpower drove her forward. She padded quickly across the room and yanked the door open, stepping into the brightly lit hallway.

She glanced left and right. A few doctors and nurses were on opposite sides, all turning their attention as she burst out. She ignored their stares and looked up at the signs hanging from the ceiling. The ICU was just around the corner. She jogged her way to the double doors, avoiding the others, nearly stumbling over on the way. Their questions and offers of help fell upon deaf ears as she pushed open the door, facing a two-way intersection. This hallway was busier than the last; patients being wheeled down to different rooms. She stepped aside as a group wheeled a patient through the doorway into the recovery ward. She glanced at the face; her stomach dropping to see it wasn't Danny.

She started forward again, her heart pounding, blood rushing through her ears. The doors opened on the opposite side and a familiar group appeared. A large orange hazmat suit, accompanied by a smaller teal suit and a woman with bright red hair.

"Hey!" Michelle called to them, making her way over.

Maddie turned her attention toward the cowgirl. "Michelle?" she sounded surprised.

As Michelle moved closer, she could see the frantic look on the Fentons' faces. It was apparent they were on their way to see Danny as well.

"Are you okay?" asked Jazz.

"Have you seen Danny?" Jack demanded.

"I-I'm fine," Michelle responded, halting in front of them. "And I haven't yet, I was making my way over right now…"

Maddie glanced at Michelle up and down, taking note of the hospital gown, small cuts and bruises, and the cowgirl's mussed up hair. Michelle was glad Maddie couldn't see the wound on her stomach as concern lit up in Maddie's eyes, and she asked, "What happened?"

"A new ghost attacked," Michelle quickly explained. "It was a tough battle, and I passed out after I got hit by one of its spikes. I woke up here."

"We got a call saying Danny was in critical condition," Jack stepped forward. "Did the same thing happen to him?"

"I-I don't know for sure," she stammered, just wanting to go and see him. "They told me the spikes were poisonous, and he somehow got a higher dose."

Jack and Maddie looked at one another with horror plain on their faces. Jazz frowned deeply and turned to Michelle. "Let's go find him then."

Michelle nodded once as the Fenton parents turned their attention to her once again. Jack placed his large hand on her shoulder, urging her forward. Together, they headed towards the ICU. They passed by Amelia, Natalie, and the nurse that was in Michelle's room. They were silent, watching the Fentons and Michelle as they passed by.

The closer they got, the more Michelle's heart pounded. Her head ached and her muscles were no better. She could feel the dull sting of her stomach wound as the medication began to wear off. However, she ignored the pain as she continued forward. She mentally repeated a mantra in her head: _You'll be okay, you'll be okay. I was okay, and you will be too._

The ICU was just ahead, separated only by closed double doors. Jack pushed them open effortlessly, exposing the busy room ahead. Medical staff bustled about, unaware of the family standing in the threshold. As they stepped in, a nearby doctor turned his attention toward them.

"You can't be in here-" he began.

"My son is in here!" Maddie hissed. "Let us see him!"

The room went silent. The doctor blinked, looking taken aback. His astonishment was replaced by realization of who they meant. He only nodded and gestured onward, stepping aside. The Fentons took no time to hesitate as they ran forward, Michelle in tow. There was a closed curtain ahead, the silence disrupted by the faint sounds of a heart monitor and the murmurs of doctors and nurses as they worked.

Michelle could see their feet bustling around underneath the curtain. Danny was just behind there, hopefully recovering like she did. All the team was doing was making sure to remove all of the spikes…

The murmurs stopped, their feet halted in their tracks. And Michelle could just pick up the sound of a flat line. Her heart sank low and she let out a breath she'd been holding.

The curtain drew back slowly as the team of surgeons emerged. Realizing they were not alone, they looked up at the Fenton family and Michelle. She could see their scrubs were messy; splashed with red and green liquid. Their faces looked distraught behind their masks.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fenton?" one of them spoke up.

"Yes?" Jack and Maddie answered in unison.

The doctor took a deep breath. "Your son Danny, I'm sorry to say, he…did not make it."

Silence fell across the room once again. Time seemed to slow immensely. A few long seconds suspended everyone before the realization hit.

A cold feeling washed over Michelle as her guts twisted painfully. Every nerve in her body tingled unpleasantly. No. He couldn't be dead.

"No…no…" Maddie choked. "T-there must be some mistake…"

"I'm so sorry," the doctor repeated. "We tried as best as we could…but there was too much poison in his system. His heart gave out, and we couldn't revive him."

Maddie let out a loud sob. The Fenton mother dropped to the floor as Jack kneeled next to her, holding her close. Jazz slapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide and shining, before joining her parents on the ground.

Michelle could feel her arms trembling. This wasn't real. It couldn't be real. She was dreaming. It was all a dream. She'd wake up and everything would be perfectly fine, back to normal…

Her knees hit the ground painfully, not even realizing she'd fallen over. She stared at the ground, unsure what to do or feel. Her mind reeled, trying to compromise different ways of how this was not reality. Maddie's wailing drowned to utter silence. She did not feel her mother's and sister's hands on her arms, hoisting her back to her feet. She could not see the sorrowful gazes of the hospital staff they passed by as she left the ICU. She felt numb all over again, as if the poison had an iron grip on her once again.


	3. Connection

_"Knowing and loving Danny for the past four years never made me realized how special our relationship was because of the rare connection we had. Just realizing it now made me regret that I never even gave it a thought a long time ago." -Michelle Durante_

The days trudged by slowly as Michelle remained in the hospital for the remainder of the weekend, before being released that following Monday. Thanks to the ectoplasm in her system aiding, her body healed fairly quickly; the wound on her stomach beginning to form into a pink scar.

Her mind had been numb for the first night, unable to find the energy to even speak. She remembered listening to the faint crying of Maddie from the hall as she lay in her hospital bed. She'd closed her puffy, tear stained eyes, sinking into her thoughts. Danny was just there, fighting alongside her. They were talking, wanting to get the fight done quickly so they could get to the movies.

He was just there. She kept repeating mentally. He was just there. How could he be gone if he was just there? How could his life have ended just like that?

That creature. That monster.

The anger pooled in her stomach, a red hot rage that expressed itself in a rush of flame from her mouth. The outburst nearly caused panic in the hospital as the sprinklers set off amongst the ward. Michelle hadn't cared; the water soaking her thoroughly as she could think nothing more than wanting to rip the monster apart with her bare hands.

The rest of the world had been a blur. Doctors and nurses entered and exited without much notice. She spoke to no one, only to lay silently in the bed, buried deep in her innermost thoughts. She often devised ways of which she could hunt down and destroy the creature. She could use the Fenton's technology to find it. She wouldn't stop until that thing was nothing but pulp...

Upon release, she was wheeled out of the hospital into the bright and warm clear of the new day. However, she did not bother to notice. The ride home was over in the blink of an eye, the radio off and the rumble of her mother's pick-up almost deafening.

She walked into the house, briefly accepting a hug from Natalie before heading directly upstairs. She pushed the door open to her room; the sun beaming through the windows and lighting up the violet walls. Her room was tidy, her dresser dusted and her bed made. She assumed her mother might have come in at some point to clean it up. Her eyes slowly scanned the room until she caught sight of the shelves to the right. Pictures, ribbons and trophies lined it, and one in the middle stood out amongst the rest. Her legs carried her over, and she gingerly took it off the shelf. She wiped away a thin layer of dust, allowing the photo to become clear again.

It was her and Danny at age fifteen. They were at the carnival, Michelle holding a large stuffed white unicorn with cute, big blue eyes. Her mouth was curled in a smirk as Danny had his head back, mouth open wide in a guffaw. She remembered that night clearly; they were passing by the game booths when she casually joked how she wanted one of the unicorns. Danny thought he'd try to win it for her, and had his hand at throwing darts at balloons. He'd failed miserably, and Michelle decided to try. She nailed every single one, thus winning the unicorn. Afterward, Michelle offered that he'd take it, with him responding in a loud laugh.

A tear dropped onto the frame, distorting part of the image and arousing the dust particles. Michelle blinked as another fell, and she wiped her cheek.

"Don't break down now…" she murmured to herself, her voice brittle. Her eyes burned as more tears threatened to fall. Damn it. She despised crying; she loathed how it made her feel and appear weak. Her muscles trembled as she tried to hold it in. She backed up until the frame of her bed bumped against her calves. Her knees buckled as she fell backwards onto the soft fabric. Her heart swelled with sadness as she let out a deep sob. The picture she gripped tightly against her chest as she rolled over, burying her face into her blanket, tears running freely.

Michelle did not leave her room for the rest of the day, as the overwhelming sorrow and depression completely engulfed her psyche. Memories swirled around, emerging and disappearing all within seconds. Danny's smiling face only brought another wave of depression.

Night came and went, and her alarm sounded early that morning. She blinked open her sore, dry eyes and rolled over after an uncomfortable night; tossing and turning more than sleeping. Amelia had come in a moment after, asking if she wanted to stay home today.

Michelle declined, feeling as if going to school would be a step toward normalcy again. She was wrong.

The news of Danny's death spread like wildfire throughout the town. Casper High was oddly quiet as the normally chatty students were silent, shuffling through the hallways with fallen faces, all of which gave her a look of sadness. Michelle had to bite her lip, feeling their pain on a much greater scale. She refused to cry in front of them.

She found her way to her locker, opening it only to begin to empty it out. It was the last week of school. She barely looked into it as her fingers brushed against the edge of a Polaroid picture. She glanced up, staring at the picture taped to the back of her locker. The two of them in ghost form…

A tap on her shoulder nearly made her jump out of her skin. She abruptly swiveled around, finding herself face to face with Paulina. The A-Lister looked mildly surprised, her arm posed halfway bent as her finger still stuck out.

"Don't even think about trying to pull anything today," Michelle growled. "I'm so not in the mood."

Paulina blinked, and put her arm down. "No, Michelle. I'm not here to poke fun at you."

Michelle averted her gaze, folding her arms tightly across her chest. "Then what do you want?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Paulina's lip quivering. "I…heard about Danny, and…it was a huge loss to us all."

Michelle stayed silent. She remembered the torch Paulina held for Danny's ghost half.

"But I want to say, I'm so sorry," Paulina continued. "I can't imagine how much pain you're in."

Michelle turned her head, meeting Paulina's eyes evenly. Paulina, apologizing? "Uh…thanks." She responded awkwardly.

Paulina offered a small smile, and then gave Michelle an awkward embrace, patting the cowgirl's back as she did so. Michelle only froze, returning the pat before Paulina let go.

"Oh-I don't know what came over me...but, don't expect that to happen again." Paulina said coolly, idly playing with her hair.

Michelle merely rolled her eyes. "I don't plan on it."

With it only being a half day, Michelle returned home around noon. The sun was high and the day was hot; the air felt arid. The sky was cloudless and bright blue. She sat lazily on the windowsill in her room, staring up at nothing as her leg slowly swung back and forth in the air. She recalled countless nights where Danny would come to see her after hours, long after her mother went to bed. They did anything they wanted. Cuddling, making out, fooling around, even just laying on her bed, whispering to one another and enjoying each other's closeness until she began to drift off to sleep.

Admittedly, it resulted in her falling asleep in class the next day, and many detentions to follow. Amelia was very displeased, yet never found out about the ghost boy sneaking in at night. She was even sent to bed an hour early, and pretended to be asleep in the times Amelia would check on her until she turned in for the evening. Just under an hour would pass before Danny showed up at Michelle's window.

The cowgirl couldn't help but to chuckle at the memory, a smile crossing her lips for the first time in days.

The sound of her bedroom door opening roused her from her thoughts. She turned her attention toward her mother walking in, phone to her ear. Her eyes met her daughter's, a bleak look on her face.

"Michelle?"

"Yes?" Michelle responded, mild concern entering her mind from her mother's expression.

"Danny's funeral will be on Friday. Maddie wanted to know if you were coming." Amelia announced, Michelle noticing how slowly her mother picked the words.

Funeral. Michelle's heart dropped to her stomach and an uncomfortable tingling sensation washed over her body. Reality had hit her in the face again. "O-of course," she stuttered. "Why wouldn't I go?"

The thought of seeing Danny's dead body sent her stomach twisting in a series of knots. She swallowed and pushed the mental image away. Amelia nodded and relayed her response to Maddie on the other line, before hanging up a moment later.

Michelle averted her gaze toward the floor, her heart hammering almost painfully. She could not shake it as the word repeated in her head. Funeral. Funeral. Funeral.

"How are you feeling?" she heard her mother ask.

Michelle looked up once again. Amelia's expression was soft and sympathetic, unlike the steely scowl she usually wore. The cowgirl sighed. "Like hell."

Amelia nodded, crossing the room to pull her daughter in a tight hug. Michelle completely melted in her arms, grasping at Amelia's waist as the two embraced. She closed her eyes, suddenly feeling like a young girl again, comforted by her mother after something had gone wrong. How she wished it was anything else. Tears fell from her eyes once again as she body shuddered. Amelia rubbed her back soothingly, whispering calming words into her ear, not that it genuinely mattered.

A moment later, Michelle emerged from the embrace, wiping the streaks of tears from her face. Her head annoyingly ached from all of the crying she'd done. Amelia stared at her daughter with a calm, even gaze; reaching out to grip Michelle's hand in her own.

"I know, it's rough," Amelia whispered. "Losing someone you love so suddenly. Danny's loss was a huge impact on us all."

Michelle nodded once, closing her eyes briefly. "I thought you hated Danny."

Amelia's lips curled into a wry smile. "I didn't hate him, I just didn't appreciate how much you two got in trouble. And leaving you for someone else last year."

"Except he came back." Michelle pointed out.

"Except he came back," Amelia agreed. "Danny and I didn't exactly see eye to eye, but I respected what he did for the world, and I saw how happy he made you. Now, I see how sad you are. It's definitely not an easy thing to deal with, especially with how young you are."

"Does it get any easier?" Michelle simply asked.

Amelia's face, though lightly touched with age, seemed to grow older with her frown. "No," she sighed heavily. "You just learn to accept it." Her eyes swept towards the open sky, unfocusing as if lost in a distant memory.

Michelle was taken back to a time, a mere eight years old when her parents divorced. Her mother, as tough as she was, was easily able to hide the pain she went through. Their daughters knew differently though. She remembered hearing her mother cry through the walls late at night. She knew Amelia would try to be quiet for her daughters' sake, yet the walls were thin and the house was always much more silent without their father around. It took three months until Amelia would finally sleep silently. She let out a long sigh.

Amelia reached toward the cowgirl's face, tucking her thick hair behind her ear. "The important thing is you came out of it alive."

Michelle's gazed dropped downward again. Many times she'd replay the battle in her mind, imagining different outcomes. If Danny had lived, if she'd died, if both of them died or lived. It didn't make sense that he died, after countless struggles they've had over the years. In the end, it didn't matter.

Frustrated, she dropped to the floor and straightened herself up, scowling mildly. Amelia leaned back in surprise, staring at her daughter with concern.

"I don't want to talk about that anymore." Michelle grumbled.

Amelia bowed her head. "Understood."

Michelle folded her arms, trying to think of anything else at the moment. She glanced up at her open closet door to eye the garments inside. Flannels, show shirts, vests and hoodies aligned in an uncoordinated fashion. Due to her distaste in anything remotely girly, she had nothing formal on hand for the funeral. She turned her attention back to her mother. "I'm going to go out and get something to wear for Friday." She announced. Without waiting for a response, she turned around, shutting her eyes to focus on her energy. A familiar sensation passed over her body as she transformed for the first time in days. She heard a small noise from her mother behind her.

"I won't get into any trouble." Michelle promised, her voice soft. She allowed herself to levitate, passing through the window and into the clear day.

The mall was clear across the city from her house, and she could reach it within five minutes if she flew at full speed. Instead, she took a smooth and steady flight, her eyes occasionally scanning the rooftops and streets below her. Familiar sights; the Nasty Burger, the school, the movie theater. A massive grayish, oddly shaped building loomed in this distance, accompanied by her heart dropping toward her stomach. She was making a beeline toward FentonWorks without even realizing it. Her mind had gone on autopilot at some point.

Michelle swallowed hard and took a turn to the right, even further away from the mall. Her head was clearly not in a right state today. She began to notice the buildings in this part of the city were larger and more extravagant looking, stretching out to clear hilltops in the distance. The sight of a familiar lavender painted house appeared in her view. Maybe Sam could give her some peace of mind.

She made her descent toward a window on the top floor, peering in to see Sam's purple-washed walls. Her wrought iron queen sized bed sat in the far corner, the satin red sheets smoothed out perfectly. Magazines and books were piled haphazardly beside the bookshelf. Posters lined the walls of different bands and movies. Not a single soul was in the room.

The sight of the door opening turned Michelle's attention toward it, and in walked in Sam, dressed in workout clothes and her skin glistening with sweat, her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. She wiped her forehead with a towel that hung around her neck. The cowgirl lightly tapped on the window, and the Goth jumped, staring at her wide eyed.

"Can I come in?" Michelle mouthed, and when Sam nodded, she phased through the glass, landing softly on the carpet.

"What's up?" Sam asked, tossing her towel toward her bed before sitting upon the edge. "How are you feeling?" she added, eyeing the scar on Michelle's belly.

"Fine," Michelle responded, changing to her human self. She crossed the room and sat beside her friend. "I mean, for the most part."

Sam's lavender eyes showed utter pain and sadness. She turned her head downward, staring at her hands. "Yeah."

Michelle let out a shuddering breath. "How are you doing?"

Sam brought her shoulders up in a slight shrug. She seemed to be avoiding making eye contact with Michelle.

The cowgirl gave a slight nod. "I understand."

Sam gave a slight nod of her own, pursing her lips. Her eyes became glassy. "He was my best friend." She choked, rubbing a stray tear from her eye.

Michelle gave a long gaze to the Goth. Danny and Sam were close long before Michelle had moved up here, and everyone assumed they'd be a couple. And then she came along. Michelle and Sam tended to butt heads more often than not, their personalities and morals often being on opposite sides of the spectrum. She remembered how Sam was consumed with envy and anger after she and Danny had gotten together instead. The fight that'd occurred between the two in the beginning of their sophomore year that had been a long time brewing. Despite their issues, they've made up and have become closer than ever, willing to push their differences aside to become friends.

"I can't imagine what you're going through." Said Michelle, reaching out to place her hand on Sam's shoulder.

Sam blinked, meeting Michelle's gaze. "Me? What about you?"

Michelle frowned in confusion. "What about me?"

"He was your boyfriend," Sam pointed out. "I should be saying that to you."

Michelle hesitated. "…Yes, but he was your best friend. You knew him much longer than I did."

Sam breathed in deeply, tilting her head toward the ceiling. "Yes, that's true…but…the relationship he had with you, that's something I could never even begin to comprehend."

"What do you mean?" Michelle inquired, utterly confused.

"Michelle," Sam groaned, rocking back on her palms. "Look, for a while, we thought Danny and Vlad were the only ones who had ghost powers. And technically Danielle too."

Michelle's mouth opened to say something, yet Sam continued. "Danny couldn't confide in Vlad, obviously. Danielle never stuck around here too long. Tucker and I tried to help where we could, except neither of us could fully understand the hardships he was going through. And then you," Sam held her hand out in a gesture. "You showed up," she let out a small chuckle. "I remember our exact reactions when we first found out," her voice quivered with laughter. "The way Danny grilled you, the way you two fought, when Danny recapped the tale to us afterward. Tucker and I thought you were some spy of Vlad's or something."

"But you guys came around," Michelle pointed out. "Why?"

Sam looked thoughtful for a brief moment before speaking. "We were all…star struck, so to speak. Danny especially. The three of us spent most of the night talking about you, wondering whether or not you were telling the truth. Ultimately, it was Danny who decided to give you the benefit of the doubt. He came to the conclusion that you'd been here long enough by then, and you would have pulled something a lot sooner."

Michelle expressed a slight giggle, the edges of her mouth curling into a smile. "Y'all are terrible at that. For all you know, I really could have been evil and waiting to befriend Danny just to take him down."

"Hey, we were fourteen," Sam merely stated with a shrug. "But that didn't mean you were off the hook. He told us to be wary of you just in case you did decide to trick us. And you know I did have trouble trusting you for quite a while, and that's beside the point. What I'm getting at is that you and Danny, you two understood each other on a whole different level. It goes back to what Tucker was saying that night, actually. Why your bond was so strong. I think that was one of the things that made him like you in the first place."

Michelle sighed. "You do have a point," she responded, rubbing her head lightly. "I mean, we did talk a lot about our powers when we first became friends. It was nice. I used to think after moving from Sierra Blanca, I'd be completely alone."

"It's strange how things work out," Sam sighed. "And we've gone through so much…both you and Danny getting the brunt. There were many times where I thought either of you were close to death, but you guys pulled through miraculously and walked away from every fight. I thought being half ghost made you close to invincible. I mean, you're technically already half dead."

"So did I." muttered Michelle, rather sheepishly.

Sam gave her a dry smile. "It's wishful thinking now…"

The cowgirl breathed in a shuddering breath. "Are you…going to the funeral?"

Sam nodded. "Of course. The Fentons turned it into an open event for the town…it's going to be one hell of a day."

"You're telling me," Michelle groaned, leaning against the headboard. She suddenly remembered why she'd come out in the first place. "Hey, do you want to go to the mall with me?"

Sam blinked in confusion. "What for?"

"I need to buy something black. And honestly, I'm tired of talking about death. Let's just have a typical girl's day at the mall."

The Goth couldn't help but to have laughed at Michelle's description. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea."


	4. The Funeral

_"Some people believe that a funeral should be a celebration, a celebration of a soul passing on from its human vessel to go back into Heaven once again. If death should be celebrated, then why are funerals so depressing?" -Michelle Durante_

Friday had come quicker than anticipated. Michelle had woken up around eight after tossing and turning restlessly in anticipation for the next day. The funeral would be held at noon, and she spent the last few hours preparing herself as slowly as possible. A digital clock flashed 11:30, the house dark from the iron tinted clouds that hung low outside. It'd been raining all night, only stopping for a few hours. However, the threat of another downpour was imminent.

She stood before the full length mirror attached to her closet door. She had on a tight dress that came up just above her knees, and sheer short sleeves. Her legs were covered with sheer stockings, her feet adorned with heels recycled from senior prom. Her hair had been tied back into a loose bun, and Natalie had taken the liberty to do her makeup. Admittedly, the smoky-eye look wasn't too bad.

There was a knock on the door, and it opened as Natalie peeked in. "You ready? Mom's downstairs waiting."

Michelle nodded silently, teetering carefully toward her sister, who pushed the door open for her. Natalie was wearing a black blouse and dark gray slacks; something Michelle would have preferred. Together they headed down the stairs, where Amelia was standing and waiting by the front door.

The Sheriff had on a more conservative black dress, her upper torso covered by a dark blue cardigan. Her hair was pulled back into a tight, low ponytail. She looked more like a secretary than a hardened cop.

Amelia's eyes met Michelle's, and she turned to face her older daughter. "You look so beautiful, and mature," she sighed. "Are you sure you want to go?"

"Mom," Michelle huffed. "I'll be fine. Please stop asking." She'd said for the fifth time this week.

Amelia stared at her daughter for a moment, and then nodded. "Let's go, then."

The three walked out into the damp, humid air. It felt as if the city was being suffocated in a wet washcloth. Michelle could already see wisps of her hair beginning to curl up as they approached Amelia's truck, all piling in. The engine roared to life as Amelia pulled away from the curb, heading toward the funeral home.

Michelle leaned her head against the window, staring out at the streets and sidewalks as they rode past. No one was out and about, and rightly so. She vaguely wondered if it was because of the rain, or they were all heading toward the same place they were.

Her silent question was answered when Amelia slowed down behind a line of cars, all moving forward at a steady crawling pace. The unmistakable flash of police lights were ahead, and Michelle could see cops redirecting traffic.

They passed by after a few minutes, and up ahead was the funeral home itself. Many cars have been already parked, and many more were circling, looking for an empty spot.

Amelia ended up pulling up to a curb just a block away. As the cowgirl got out, her face was sprinkled by a fresh drizzle. She squinted her eyes, grabbing an umbrella from the truck. They made their way towards the home, watching as others awkwardly tried to find decent parking spaces. In the parking lot itself, Michelle immediately recognized the Ghost Assault vehicle, and parked next to it, Jazz's little berry-colored sedan. Off to the side, a slick black hearse awaited. Her heart sank and she immediately tore her attention from it, focusing her eyes on the open door.

The inside was dimly lit accompanied by a soft ambience, and just as packed as she'd imagined. Murmurs, cries, and sighs and the soft tone of slow-paced music filled her ears as she stepped over the threshold. Many of the faces she recognized; mostly being her classmates. The people who noticed her walk in turned their attention towards her, and she averted her gaze.

"Michelle!" a familiar voice called. Michelle snapped her head up to see Jazz squeezing through the crowd. She wore a simple long-sleeved black dress; her bright hair down and held back with a black headband. She halted in front of the cowgirl.

Michelle gave her a small smile. "Hey, Jazz."

Jazz returned the smile, and up close, Michelle could see she'd been crying. "Glad you came." She responded, her voice somewhat hoarse.

Michelle let out a long sigh. "I couldn't miss it."

Jazz nodded, wiping a fresh tear from her eye. "Would you like to see him?"

Michelle's stomach did a backflip at the thought. She absolutely dreaded this moment, wanting to avoid it as much as possible. The last memory she wanted of Danny was in those sweet last moments before the battle. How she yearned to see his smile, his twinkling sky blue eyes. Some part of her mind was still tethered to the desperate idea that this was a long and terrible nightmare. That viewing Danny's dead body would help shock herself awake, or it wouldn't be there at all. Instead, he'd walk up behind her and the scenery would change into something much more pleasant.

Wishful thinking. Michelle slowly nodded. Jazz reached out to take her hand, clasping it tightly as she led Michelle away, winding through the ever growing crowd.

They emerged into a much larger room, lit with golden lamps lining the cream colored walls. Chairs were lined in rows, and. visitors were either standing or sitting, chattering quietly amongst themselves. Off to the side, Jack and Maddie were standing together, speaking with some of them, shaking hands and receiving hugs. There was a long line in the center, leading up to what Michelle could see was the corner of a dark blue coffin.

She closed her eyes, turning her head away. She felt Jazz's hand rest lightly on her shoulder. She mustered up her courage and opened her eyes again. She could feel a lump in her throat form as the line moved steadily. Eventually, the few people in front of her cleared out, giving her full view.

It was open casket, much to her dismay. One foot in front of the other, she forced herself forward, taking in the view of Danny's body. He was dressed in a simple black suit, hands folded at his midsection and his hair combed neatly, almost in what looked like a 1950's style. She suppressed the urge to reach out and mess it up, setting it to the normal hairstyle he would have. His face, she could see, had a layer of what looked like concealer. His skin looked dull and fake underneath the soft light. His lips were pale, set in almost a slight frown.

A wave of misery overwhelmed her as she squeezed her eyes shut once again. She thought she could keep it together this time, but seeing him like this… She knelt down, covering her eyes with one hand as the other clutched the edge of the casket. Her body shuddered as she tried not to make a noise, not to draw attention on herself.

"Why did it have to be you…?" she muttered, her voice rough.

She didn't hear her named being called the first time, until the voices penetrated her subconscious. She brought her head up and peered over her shoulder to see Sam and Tucker, standing side by side, each with solemn expressions.

"Hey guys." Michelle greeted, clearing her throat. She forced herself to be on her feet again to face them.

"Hey, cowgirl," responded Tucker, pulling her in a tight hug which Michelle returned. As the two separated, Tucker gave her a small smile. "How are you doing?"

"As good as you'd think." Michelle answered truthfully.

Tucker gave her a sad smile. "I'm so sorry…I can't believe one of my best friends is gone."

Sam's eyes had focused on Danny, her face betraying heartbreak. "Never thought it would come to this." She sighed.

Tucker nodded, hanging his head and rubbing his eyes with his fingers. "Everything happened so fast…"

"I know," Michelle rasped. "Let's just not think about what happened, for our sakes."

As her friends nodded, she stepped aside, averting her gaze from the casket once again. She could not bear to view him a second time. Over to the side, she caught the gazes of Maddie and Jack. Their faces were welcoming yet couldn't mask the sorrow underneath. She immediately hurried over, and their arms opened up to her immediately, Jack's large body nearly engulfing hers and Maddie's. The embrace lasted for a long moment before their release.

"Thanks for coming, Michelle," Maddie said, her voice brittle. "It means a lot to us that you did."

"Of course." Michelle responded.

"Danny really felt so strongly for you, ya know," Jack added in. "You're like family to us. You're always welcome at FentonWorks."

Maddie nodded in agreement. "If you ever need anything, you can come to us."

Michelle sighed, her heart beginning to flutter quickly. "Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton."

The two smiled at her before turning their attention to Sam and Tucker, whom walked over after speaking with their longtime friend for a final time. Michelle made her way over to her mother and Natalie, both were standing off to the side as more people filed into the main room. She recognized her fellow senior class, including anyone from any level of the social pyramid. Paulina, who was loudly crying and batting her eyes with a handkerchief. Dash, who had accompanied her, looked mildly uncomfortable.

"I just miss him so much," Paulina bawled, causing quite a few heads to turn toward her. "I wish I'd gotten a chance to date him after he revealed his identity!"

Michelle rolled her eyes at that. Despite what the popular girl had said to her just earlier this week, it was evident that Paulina harbored feelings for Danny, or rather, Danny Phantom. Over the past three years, she occasionally made it known and tried to set Michelle off, or blatantly flirt with Danny at any opportunity.

"Ignore her," Natalie said, shooting a cold scowl towards her. "She's just trying to make a scene."

Michelle groaned. "Some things never do change."

For the next hour, more people from the city filed in and out of the funeral home. Along with the Fentons, Michelle received more hugs and condolences than she cared to count. The words began to blur after a while, and she began to wish the attention would divert elsewhere. As if granting her wish, someone had announced that the eulogy was about to begin. Michelle shuffled over to one of the seats in the first row on the further side, allowing the Fentons to be closer to their son. As everyone settled, an elderly man approached a podium.

The murmurs quieted down as they all turned their attention to the man, and he gazed at the crowd evenly. "Thank you all for coming," he announced clearly. "Daniel Fenton was a truly astounding young man. We all recognize his heroic duty and compassion he had for this city, and the world as well."

Michelle's memory flashed back to the giant asteroid that threatened the Earth just a few years before. It seemed like eons ago.

"With the help of his parents, we've collaborated and put together the good deeds that he's done, and the impact he left on us," the man continued. "It all began when he was just a mere fourteen years old..."

The cowgirl was no longer at the funeral as she allowed her mind to dig up old memories, ones that she could remember as clear as day.

 _Danny looked away from her, back to Sam again. It almost hurt to watch, yet she didn't really understand why. She just knew that Sam doesn't deserve Danny after the fiasco just a few days before. He said something that Misha didn't catch, and then felt her stomach do an uncomfortable flip as Sam leaned in to kiss him. Misha took an automatic step forward, wanting to intervene yet she was too far to do something about it._

 _And yet, Danny stepped back. Sam was facing away from her, although she could see the hurt as the Goth visibly wilted as Danny placed something-she couldn't see what-in Sam's hand. And then what he did next surprised her. He began to walk over to her. She did a side glance at Sam, noticing the Goth looked utterly shocked and hurt. Misha focused her attention back to Danny, who was now in front of her._

 _"Hi, Danny." She greeted, feeling slightly confused._

 _"Hey Misha," he responded. "Are you ready for this?"_

 _She swallowed the lump that rose in her dry throat, and she nodded, "Yes." Her voice cracked only slightly. This plan was a big deal, and the biggest challenge she had ever faced ever since she started fighting ghosts. The outcome determined whether or not Earth would be wiped out, and this could very well be the last time she'd ever see Danny._

 _"Alright," he muttered, frowning slightly and looking away. She waited, and he turned his head toward her once again. "Listen, if we get through this-"_

 _He voiced her uncertainty, but Misha tried to keep optimistic. "Danny, don't talk like these are our last moments," she interrupted him, her heart beating even faster now. "If you have something to say, just say it."_

 _Danny sighed, "Okay...I do have something to tell you, I just don't know how to say it..." He looked at her, his green gaze staring into her bright purple eyes._

 _Misha stood quiet for a moment as she observed him. His expression was soft, innocent like a little kid. His eyes told a different story. They were half-lidded yet focused on her, a sharp contrast of green against his peach skin. He didn't look away, not even for a second. Misha recognized that emotion; it was a look he'd get when he'd catch Paulina walking by, and even when he was dating Valerie. A look that meant he found someone special. Her cheeks burned at the sudden realization: Danny liked her. Not just as a friend, but he_ liked _her. The same way he did with Paulina and Valerie some time ago. She'd never thought it would happen, even though she herself gained a slight crush for him in the past few months._

 _Another realization dawned on her; he chose her over Sam. He chose the hot-headed cowgirl that he didn't get along with when they first met, over his best friend for years. That's why he didn't let Sam kiss him. That's why he came over here. He seemed to be waiting for her to respond, but instead she took a step closer, placing her hands on his chest. "I think you already did." She whispered to him, not breaking her gaze._

 _Danny lowered his head, and she lifted herself on her toes to meet him halfway. Their lips met, and she closed her eyes, feeling his hand take her chin gently. She felt tingling warmth surround her for a moment. Was this what a first kiss felt like? It seemed like forever until Danny's lips parted from hers. He looked somber, as if it would be the last kiss he'd ever receive from her. She was about to say something when his face lit up with a gentle smile._

 _"Wow, remind me to save the world more often." He joked, and she laughed._

 _"If that's what it takes to get a kiss, city boy." She remarked, smirking at him._

Those few moments in the Antarctic ended up changing her life forever. Her body shivered as the memory left a mark; remembering that moment where they all thought they may never see each other again. Except Danny saved the day, and their lives continued on. The past few years seemed like a blink of an eye for her. The countless dates, hang outs, ghost fights and arguments then the cuddles and kisses at the end…

An almost deafening round of applause brought the cowgirl back to reality. She blinked and realized the eulogy had been completed, and those around her were clapping enthusiastically, their eyes glossed with tears. She awkwardly began to clap as well, feeling off put that she zoned out for the majority of it. She assumed it was well put together and heartfelt as any eulogy should be. As the applause slowly ceased and the home quieted, the man announced they will be leaving for the cemetery shortly. Everyone began to rise from their seats, and she followed suit.

The funeral home emptied out within minutes as everyone returned to their cars. Some went back home, others were to join the procession. Michelle hopped back into Amelia's pick up as they slid seamlessly into the ever growing line. She could see the Fentons' vehicles right behind the black hearse. The parade of vehicles proceeded slowly through the city as a steady drizzle began to pick up. Besides the rhythm of the windshield wipers, the incessant ticks of the hazard lights was the only sound. They were headed towards the heart of Amity Park, where the buildings gave way to a field dotted with dark gray headstones blending into the mist and iron toned clouds on the horizon.


	5. Acceptance

_"I always enjoyed being in cemeteries; being raised in Mexican culture made me appreciate the dead. This time was different." - Michelle Durante_

Michelle stepped out of the pick-up, her feet crunching the damp grass beneath as the rain partially soaked through her stockings. They'd parked a little ways away as everyone else pulled in, finding their own spots. She saw the hearse up ahead, resting on a small hill. The casket was already out and suspended above a rectangle shaped hole. A large tent had been set up where the Fentons already sat. The three made their way over, huddling underneath the tent to wait for everyone else.

She found herself gazing at Danny's headstone, which looked more like a monument. It was at least seven feet tall, carved of smooth white marble. What stood out the most was a dark gray imprint of Danny's emblem, streaked with raindrops. Beneath it was his name, Daniel J. Fenton, along with his birth and death dates. Even further down was something etched in a fine script font. It read, "A Hero to Us All."

She swallowed hard, and turned to face the oncoming crowd. Many more have joined, mainly the senior class and random townsfolk. From another direction, the man from the funeral home stepped up beside the casket, and following were three Marines, dressed in their pristine black and Navy blue uniforms, white hats spotless in the rain. Each were carrying rifles. Michelle's brow furrowed in confusion. One had what looked like an American flag underneath his arm. He proceeded to unfold the flag and draped it gently across the casket.

Jazz had looked over and caught Michelle's eye. Noticing her confusion, Jazz walked over. "They'll be performing the twenty-one gun salute," she explained. "After word spread, some soldiers contacted us and thought it would be a good idea."

Michelle nodded once. Now she understood. The salute was generally for those who served and died in the line of duty, mainly those in the military and police force. Danny wasn't neither, although he put his life on the line multiple times just as they would. A familiar lump rose in her throat as she trembled; thinking how much of a big deal this was. Danny meant the world to a lot of people. The fact that even the military acknowledged it and wanted to be part of his funeral spoke massively. She tilted her head back when her eyes burned with the familiar sensation of tears. "That is a good idea." She responded, keeping her voice as steady as possible.

Jazz rubbed her back soothingly for a moment, before rejoining her parents at the row of seats. It was quiet for a few more moments as the last of the group gathered beneath the tent. There were many people by now; yet significantly less than who was at the wake. Those who remained were mainly people from school, close friends and family of the Fentons. They mostly squeezed in to hide from the drizzle steadily continued. Someone came along and passed out roses, all deep red and the thorns cut off.

The funeral man stepped up to a podium, beginning to recite a prayer. It went on for a few moments and he paused as the Marines raised their rifles in perfect unison. The first round of bullets caused everyone to flinch. They fired six more times, leaving Michelle's ears ringing by the end. Following that, two of the Marines picked up the flag and began to fold it into a triangular shape. One held it firmly in his hands, and made his way over to Jack and Maddie. He bent down and held out the flag to Maddie, who tearfully took it and responded with a hushed, "Thank you."

It was almost time for the burial. Everyone moved forward to crowd around the coffin. The blue lid slowly turned crimson as everyone began to place their roses on top, and then it began it's descent into the ground. The funeral man began a final prayer as everyone else was completely silent. The Fentons' faces were streaked with tears, while everyone else had solemn expressions.

Michelle felt her heart lower with the casket. Reality hit her hard like a punch to the face; Danny was really dead. Dead and now buried. This past week, some small part of her hoped it was just a terrible nightmare which she'd go to bed and wake up with everything completely fine. She let out a deep, low sigh, wondering how things will continue from now on.

With the burial now wrapping up, the crowd began to disperse. Murmurs waved through everyone, paying their last respects or planning what to do for the rest of the day. Michelle's feet didn't move; she found herself staring at the headstone again. The emblem had an almost reflective sheen to it. She moved closer toward it, raising her hand and placing her hand on the surface. It was smooth beneath her fingertips, wet from the weather.

"Michelle!" called Amelia. Michelle turned around to face her mother and Natalie.

"Yeah?"

"You ready to go?" her mother continued.

Michelle didn't answer right away. She glanced back at the headstone, observing it for a good moment, before turning back to Amelia. "No," she finally answered. "Give me a few moments. I'll be right there."

Amelia silently nodded before guiding Natalie away. Michelle turned back towards the stone, listening as the last of the crowd left the area, the distant sounds of cars starting up and exiting the cemetery. When the faint rumble of the last engine faded, she was surrounded by absolute silence.

The drizzle began to pick up into a steady rain, and she could feel her hair and dress were becoming soaked. She turned her attention toward the sky, which gave no notion of letting up soon.

"Danny," she started, speaking outward. "You're living your dream now. Soaring through the skies and space."

She looked back at the emblem on the headstone, leaning forward, she placed a kiss on the very center, leaving behind a faint violet stained lip mark.

"I love you," She whispered. "And I'll always remember you."

It was her final good-bye, solidifying the reality. It seemed liked she was finally beginning to come to terms with it. Even though her heart ached and longed for him, she knew recovery was the next step; albeit a long road ahead. The tips of her fingers brushed the carvings in the stone, catching amongst the rough lines and gliding along the polish. With one last silent thought, she turned to make her way back when the sound of grass crunching from her side alerted her.

Turning on her heel, she came face to face with Valerie Gray.

The cowgirl stepped back in surprise, immediately regaining her composure. Valerie had on a sleeveless black dress, and her hair was loose and wavy, although the thick humidity caused it to appear poofy. She clutched at a small satin purse, and a vaguely troubled expression sat upon her face. Michelle didn't recall seeing her at the funeral, or afterward, for that matter.

"Valerie?" she said in confusion.

"Hey Michelle." Valerie greeted, her voice low.

Michelle pursed her lips. She never exactly had a good relationship with Valerie, given that Valerie used to relentlessly chase Danny and Michelle's ghost forms with the intent of elimination. She remembered the short time that Danny and Valerie dated, and how worried she was for Danny's safety. After their secrets were revealed, they never heard from Valerie as the Red Huntress again, although they still saw her kicking ghost ass from time to time. They largely ignored one another after that.

"What do you want?" Michelle asked stiffly.

Valerie turned her attention towards the headstone. "I wanted to pay my respects…and, I wanted to say I'm sorry."

Michelle blinked, and then her eyes narrowed. "Sorry?"

Valerie nodded. "Look, I know we never really got along when we were younger…but that's because I was ignorant to the truth," she sighed. "I was so hell-bent on destroying all ghosts. But then I found out you and Danny were a part of that world, it…tore me up inside."

Michelle folded her arms, but said nothing.

"I mean, I almost killed my ex-boyfriend a numerous amount of times, and you too. It was hard to come to terms with that after all of that happened. I mean, I still liked him even then…it hurt to break up with him, but I couldn't get him involved. Turns out… he was involved all along," she paused to rub her eyes with her fingers. "It was just a big mess…and I thought I could go on, but now he's dead…and I'm so, so sorry Michelle."

The words sunk in as Michelle contemplated. Despite the tension between the two, the cowgirl figured there was no point in holding a grudge anymore. "Well, thanks…I guess." She responded.

Valerie gave her a small smile. "I'm not going to lie, though. When I first heard…I was as devastated as you are."

That statement felt like a slap in the face. The calm from before had vanished, replaced with pure anger. Michelle glowered at Valerie. "Excuse me? Just as devastated as me?" she hissed.

Valerie's face quickly turned into a frown. She put her hands up in defense. "No, I mean-"

"No, Valerie," Michelle interjected. "Let me tell YOU something. You were NOT as devastated as me. You know why? Because he was my boyfriend! He was your ex! You had your chance with him, so don't you DARE say your pain equals to mine! Danny and I were in love, and you? You dated for what, a few weeks at most?"

"But-" Valerie tried to say.

"Uh uh!" Michelle spat. "I'm not finished yet! You waited until NOW to admit how you were feeling about all of this? Where were you before? Like, three years ago? You had PLENTY of time to apologize before, so you wait until Danny's DEAD to do so?! Hell, you should be happy since Phantom is dead! Isn't that what you wanted?!"

Valerie looked absolutely horrified as tears formed in her light green eyes, and her arms trembled as she hugged herself, her body visibly crumpling.

The realization suddenly hit. Her eyes widened, immediately regretting that last sentence. It was such a cruel thing to say, even for her. She gulped and hung her head, feeling absolutely ashamed of herself. "Oh my god, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that." She murmured.

"N-no, you're right, Michelle," Valerie sniffed. "I shouldn't have said that. I mean, you were his girlfriend for much longer than I was."

"Still, I shouldn't have snapped, now I'm the one who should be apologizing." Michelle sighed.

Valerie did not answer right away. She wiped some tears from her eyes, and fixed her gaze at the headstone once again. "Death can make us feel a variety of things," she stated. "The truth is, I was too afraid of approaching you two. I figured I would make it a bigger mess than it already was. I realize now I should have said something before. Now Danny will never know."

"I guess it doesn't matter anymore," sighed Michelle. "The important thing is that you did step up. And…I'm sure Danny knows," she looked up at the clouds. "Wherever he is…"

Valerie smiled. "Yeah, you're right…do you forgive me?"

Michelle paused, then nodded. "Yes, I do."

Valerie's smile widened as she lunged toward Michelle, pulling the cowgirl into a tight hug. Michelle flinched at first, and then returned the embrace. Her anger had melted away, and her heart felt much lighter.


	6. Graduation

_"Graduation is the one day that any high school senior looks forward to. It's a fresh start, a new life. If only Danny could have been there with us." -Michelle Durante_

The weekend after the funeral had cleared to be bright and sunny, and the town's mood lifted with the weather as well. Life was in its beginning stages of returning back to normal. People were bustling around again, although Danny's death was still the main topic and would be for a while.

Michelle herself had finally come to terms with Danny's death, mostly. During the night she'd let her thoughts drift back to the best memories, barring the still fresh pain of the loss. She wasn't completely over crying as the memories brought back the feeling of missing him. A few tears would escape, dampening her pillow as she buried her face into it, slowly falling asleep to meet him in her dreams.

That following Monday, it was the very last day of school. The halls of Casper High were adorned with memorial photos and artwork, all portraying both Fenton and Phantom. Michelle admired them; capturing Danny in such a positive light. With her last class over and a little while before the half day was over, she moved to her locker, beginning to clear out the remnants of her very last high school year, grabbing what she'd forgotten the week before. All that's left were a few old notebooks and crumpled up notes, as well as random locker accessories and decorations. She took them down one by one until a single Polaroid photo lingered in the back, the one where both she and Danny were in ghost form, posing happily after a tough fight with Skulker and Ember. Peeling it off from the wall and sticking it into her back pocket, she smiled at the memory. Despite how beaten and bruised they were at the end, they still had a lot of fun regardless.

With her locker now completely empty, she shut it closed for the very last time, and turned to face the halls. Four years of roaming through them, classroom to classroom, groaning about the early starts or rushing through to fight a new threat.

She remembered when she first walked through the front doors, both angry and sad that she was forced to leave her home in Texas to live in some city. The school was much larger than that of Sierra Blanca, and the people were a lot different. She was shoved around quite easily due to her short stature, and the popular kids honed in on her as if she'd painted a large, red target on her clothes.

The trouble she'd almost gotten into that very first day, if it hadn't been for Sam stepping in when she did. At the time, Michelle resented the Goth, thinking it made her seem weak. Now, it felt silly. How immature she was back then; no wonder she didn't get along with them at first.

She silently chuckled to herself at the memories, and just before she turned to head out, none other than Sam and Tucker were approaching her. She stopped and smiled at them.

"Hey guys." Michelle greeted.

"Hey! Wanna come with us to the Nasty Burger for lunch?" Tucker asked.

Michelle opened her mouth, although the words caught in her throat. She hadn't been back to the Nasty Burger since that night. She wondered if she could even be in that area without having harshly vivid flashbacks. She shivered at the thought of it.

Sam seemed to have noticed Michelle's discomfort. "Oh, you don't have to join us." She said softly.

Michelle took a deep breath. "No, I want to come," She said. "I'll be okay."

As Sam and Tucker were about to answer, a plump, short-haired Asian woman dressed in a sharp suit approached the three. It was Principal Ishiyama.

"Good afternoon, you three," she greeted. "Would you mind if I had a word with Ms. Durante?"

Michelle's heart skipped a beat. Usually the principal talking to her meant she was in trouble. Sam and Tucker mirrored her confusion, but otherwise nodded and headed the other way.

Michelle clasped her hands in front of her, staring at Principal Ishiyama as innocently as possible. "Is there something wrong?" she asked.

Ishiyama shook her head. "No, not this time, Michelle. However, I want to ask you of something."

Now Michelle was even more confused. "What is it?"

"Well," the principal began. "Firstly I would like to say I am terribly sorry for your loss. I know you and Mr. Fenton were very close."

Michelle averted her gaze. "Yeah…thanks."

"Anyway," Ishiyama continued. "The school is putting together a memorial for him, which will be revealed at graduation. Now normally the class Valedictorian would give a commencement speech to their fellow graduates…however, I want to ask if you will do it instead."

Michelle frowned. "Wait, what? Why me?"

"We want to include Danny's memorial in with the graduation, therefore we found it fitting for someone to give a speech about him as well. Who would be a better choice than his girlfriend?"

Michelle felt her cheeks grow hot. She could think of others who could do much better than her, such as his parents or Jazz. "I…"

Ishiyama placed a hand on the cowgirl's shoulder. "If the idea makes you nervous or uncomfortable, you can say no."

Michelle didn't answer immediately as she mulled over the idea. Speeches were never her thing. On the other hand, she felt honored that the Principal thought she'd be the ideal candidate to give a speech about Danny.

"You know what," Michelle started. "I think I will do this."

Ishiyama smiled warmly. "Thank you very much, Michelle. I would imagine the speech would be quite lovely."

Michelle nodded in response. Just then, the final bell rang. She waved to Ishiyama before heading toward the exit.

* * *

The rest of the week flew by quickly. Michelle spent most of it trying to think of a good speech; typing and re-typing repeatedly on her computer. On Thursday she decided to take a break, heading out to her favorite place in the universe: the local stables. She worked on weekends and some afternoons and would spend a lot of her time there regardless if she worked or not. She hadn't gone in a few weeks, what with everything happening. Despite her current nature, horses always made her feel better. She spent hours there; riding some horses that needed a good workout. She felt happy to be in the saddle again. Now, she was heading home, tired and dirty but feeling satisfied. The sun was beginning to descend toward the horizon, casting long shadows amongst the city. The weather was hot and dry all day and began to cool down slightly, a gentle breeze blowing through her raven hair. She breathed in the air as she turned her truck down her street.

She immediately recognized her mother's truck parked on the curb, although another truck sat in the spot that she'd usually park. Her annoyance switched to curiosity as the truck struck a chord of familiarity in her mind, and the Texas plates stood clear as day to her.

No way, could it be…? Her heart raced as she pulled to the curb, killing the engine and nearly flew out from her truck. She bounded up the stoop steps and threw the door open. Amelia and Natalie were sitting on the couch as usual. However, there was a new face. She laid her eyes directly on her father.

"Dad!" Michelle gasped, her mouth dropping wide open.

Travis' slightly wrinkled face curled into a wide grin. He turned to her and held his arms out. "There's my baby girl."

Within seconds, Michelle zipped across the living room, and into his arms. She wrapped her own around his sturdy waist, burying her face into his chest. It'd felt like eons since she'd last seen him.

"I hope you have another one of those for me." Said a familiar voice. Michelle released her father and turned to face her older sister.

"Jocelyn!" Michelle squeaked in excitement, pulling her into a tight hug as well. "What are you two doing here?"

"Here to see your graduation, of course!" Jocelyn chuckled, returning the hug. "What else would we be here for?"

"I thought it'd be a nice surprise," Amelia sounded from the couch. "After all that happened, this would be a nice breather."

For the first time in a while, Michelle felt warm inside. She hadn't seen Jocelyn or Travis in a long time; as Jocelyn moved to Virginia for college and stayed there with her fiancé. They would occasionally visit for holidays. Travis in the meantime, never traveled up to Amity Park. Whenever Michelle, Amelia, and Natalie flew down to Texas to visit her grandparents, she would try to visit Travis, but often times he was busy or they had no time. It was nice to have them all under one roof again, even if it was just temporary.

The night fell with the family chattering and reminiscing, which Michelle was thankful for. It felt like just another normal day, complete with a nice dinner to top it off. She retired shortly after, being able to sleep soundly for once.

The next day she woke up bright and early, keeping herself busy until around mid-afternoon. She sat patiently in the bathroom with Jocelyn hovering over her, her face adorned with makeup and her hair half-curled.

"Are you nervous?" asked Jocelyn as she took a lock of Michelle's hair to wrap around the iron.

Michelle sighed. "A little."

Jocelyn smiled. "I remember when I graduated high school. Granted I did two years early, but…I was nervous too. It's a whole different world past those double doors."

Michelle pursed her lips and nodded. "It's not about afterward, it's about speech I'm going to give. I spent a long time on it, and I don't know if it gives Danny justice."

"Ah," Jocelyn murmured. "It must have been hard to lose him…"

"I try not to think of the loss anymore," Michelle responded as-a-matter-of-factly. "It hurts still…but I've come to accept it."

"That's good." said Jocelyn.

"The only thing is we've thought about graduation all year long. He couldn't wait to come to this day and start studying space stuff in college. It's just so unfair he got so close to this point and only to have his life ripped away." Michelle sniffed.

Jocelyn bent down to face her sister. "Well, that's the point of this memorial speech, isn't it? He may not be here, but the memory of him is."

"Right," sighed Michelle. "I guess it's time to face the music."

Jocelyn rolled her eyes and smirked. "Don't make it sound as if it's a final send off. This is an important step in your life. Not only that, you'll make Danny live through your speech. That's why they chose you to do it."

Michelle pursed her lips, unsure how to answer. It was true; she was happy to graduate yet the nerve wracking feeling of having to deliver a worthwhile memorial to hundreds of people nearly squandered that. However, Jocelyn was right.

"Alright, I think I'm ready for this."

Jocelyn smiled. "That's the Michelle I know." She placed a kiss on Michelle's forehead.

* * *

The sun was still high in the sky, bearing heat down on the Casper High football field. Chairs were lined up, families and friends spectated from the bleachers. Michelle sat in her white cap and gown, staring up at the stage just a row ahead. Principal Ishiyama stood up there along with other members of the faculty. Fifteen minutes had passed since the class had stepped out into the field and took their seats, only half listening as the faculty gave their short speeches. Ishiyama was up now, her voice booming across the crowd as she gave hers.

Michelle didn't really focus as her gaze wandered. A little further away, she could see a truck with a large cart attached to the back, and what looked like a statue covered in a tarp placed in the cart. She assumed this would be the memorial that Ishiyama had mentioned.

"Michelle Durante," Ishiyama called, rousing Michelle, "Will now come up to give a speech."

A hushed silence fell amongst the crowd. Silently gulping, Michelle stood up and teetered her way towards and up the stage. Ishiyama smiled at her, and whispered, "Good luck." Before stepping away from the podium.

As Michelle took the Principal's place, she turned to face the crowd. Her fellow crimson and white clad classmates stared up at her expectantly, and as did the others from the bleachers. A rush of heat cascaded through her face and her heart began to pound, and she closed her eyes briefly. She pretended she was at a horse show, and the speech was nothing more than just the tri-barrel pattern that lay before her. All she had to do was run the pattern and come back. Ceaseless repetition ending in flawless performances almost every time. If she could ride a horse at breakneck speed, she could deliver a commencement speech.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

"Friends," she began, her voice resonating through the field. "Fellow graduating classmates. We've come so far in these four years, four unforgettable years. Firstly, I want to say congratulations to us all. Despite our hardships, we managed to come through. Whether it was an F on an exam, or a ghost in the hall. Although, the latter was handled very differently." She heard slight chuckles from the crowd, and she continued.

"I could stand up here and talk about Casper High, give a cheesy speech about how we're going to make a difference in the world. But earlier this week, Principal Ishiyama approached me and asked something of me. Now I'm no Valedictorian or a straight-A achiever, so you could imagine my surprise when she did ask me. But here I am."

The field was silent, and expectant eyes were staring up at her. "We all knew Danny Fenton. To many, he was a geek, a nobody, a punching bag," her eyes swept across the A-Listers briefly. "To some, he was a good friend. To me, he was my closest friend, and the love of my life. But who could forget that moment in our freshman year, when our lives were at risk, and that same nobody concocted a plan that saved the entire planet?"

She paused as murmurs arose from the crowd, and then continued. "Danny always did his best to keep this town safe, even when there was a time that no one wanted him around. He was a kind-hearted soul and such a great guy to be around," her voice wavered slightly. She took a split second to compose herself. "He didn't let the way others treated him to bring him down. He endured all the teasing and the bullying, the jeering and threats to save those very same people from a far worse fate. As a fourteen year old high school student, that was a ton of pressure on his shoulders, a burden to bear that anyone could crack under. I can proudly say I helped ease that burden when I joined his side shortly after my family moved here."

"Time flew by so quickly, school and ghosts, everyday it was like someone pressed a repeat button. Many times Danny and I have been in threatening and dangerous situations, and then we'd jump into another situation a day later! Every time we'd come out alive and well, that the thought of death was the last thing I worried about. There wasn't one ghost or many that could permanently bring us down."

"Until one did. I was in the hospital and already stabilized when I'd gotten word that Danny's life was clinging by mere threads. I never thought it would come to this, being killed in the line of action. We've overestimated our abilities, underestimated our opponent, and he was the one to pay the price," She swallowed silently. "He should be here with us, sitting amongst us, dressed in a crimson gown, getting ready to be handed his diploma. I was angry and sad that he wouldn't get the chance to graduate and move on with his life like the rest of us."

"However, I began to realize something. Just because his physical presence is gone, doesn't mean that he's completely gone. He's with us in spirit, watching over us from up above, smiling and knowing we get to have our chances to achieve greater things. He worked so hard to keep us all as safe as can be. And knowing that we've come this far, is most likely good enough for him."

She took a deep breath. "And I also know that while the pain may linger, we can't keep back tracking. We have to carry on with our lives. Go to college, get careers, start new lives. But wherever we may go, Danny Phantom has been forever imprinted in our minds, because he is a part of us," small cheers and whoops sounded out, and a small smile appeared on her face. "And this is why we should never forget him, no matter how old we get or how far we travel-" her voice began to raise and she thrust her fists into the air, "Never forget him, never forget the things he did for us, never forget what he stood for. Never forget Danny Phantom!"

The crowd roared with even more cheers as people stood up, clapping enthusiastically. She heard Danny's named being chanted, along with her own. She felt a blush creep to her cheeks as her heart hammered with excitement. They liked her speech, and she delivered it well. It wasn't so bad after all.

She felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned to face Ishiyama again. The plump woman gestured for her to step aside, although a large smile plastered on the Principal's face told Michelle that she impressed her greatly. Michelle stood aside as Ishiyama stood her place at the podium again.

"Thank you Michelle," Ishiyama spoke, prompting the audience to settle down, "that was a very powerful speech. Now, before we begin handing out the diplomas, there is one more thing we'd like to announce. Due to young Mr. Fenton's passing, we've decided to erect a statue…" she turned and gestured to the truck behind her. As if on cue, the tarp was ripped off, revealing a gorgeous marble replica of Danny in his ghost form, poised as if flying upward, his fist thrust forward and his face frozen in sheer determination. "In his memory. This will be placed at the front of the school after the ceremony."

A second round of applause erupted, and Michelle clapped herself, not taking her eyes off the statue's face. The carving was uncanny; as if someone had frozen Danny himself in stone. It sent shivers down her spine, but she couldn't stop smiling.


	7. Change

_"Summer was always my favorite time of year. It was the transition of one thing to another, and in more ways than one." - Michelle Durante_

After graduation, time seemed to have sped up tenfold. It was late July and summer had reached its peak; most days were sweltering and bone dry, tapering down to mild nights. Most of the graduates were on vacation or spending their last few weeks at home before making the move for college. Michelle herself spent most of her time out and about, keeping herself busy and only coming home to sleep. She went riding often, took day trips out with Sam and Tucker, and even began to hang out with Valerie every so often.

Ghost wise, there weren't many attacks; once every other week or so. That which she was glad for as Jack and Maddie were buckling extra security down on the portal for the past month. In her down time, she'd often fly around during twilight, watching the sunset and letting the cool air flow around her as she floated in the sky.

On a Friday early afternoon, and the sun scorched as hot as ever. Michelle found herself walking around in the city, watching as kids relieved themselves from the heat with hoses and fire hydrants. She herself wasn't sure what to do, but the heat was beginning to get uncomfortable and she contemplated on going to the water park. However, she didn't want to go alone. Pulling out her phone, she shot an invite text to Sam and Tucker.

Both responded within minutes, sounding enthusiastic with their replies. Michelle smiled and headed quickly back to her house to get her bathing suit.

The water park was as packed as they imagined, children and adults alike trying to escape the heat. Sam wasn't too fond of the crowd, but Michelle and Tucker couldn't care less. They made their rounds around the park, hitting the water slides first, then the wave pool, and wrapping up with the lazy river.

As the sun began to set, the three exited the water park fully satisfied and cooled off. Despite the twinge of fatigue that began to settle within Michelle's body, she longed to stay out and about.

"So, what do you ladies want to do now?" Tucker asked, as if reading her mind.

Sam shrugged thoughtfully, and responded with. "Actually, I'm hungry. Swimming really works up an appetite."

Michelle didn't respond right away. She wasn't very hungry at the moment. Her eyes wandered and settled on a colorful poster that had been placed on a nearby telephone pole. The bright words jumped out at her like a beacon, and the idea planted in her head.

"Hey, why don't we go to the carnival? Apparently, it's opening night!" Michelle suggested.

"Then we can stuff our faces full of greasy carnival food!" Tucker exclaimed.

Sam made a face, but then shrugged once more. "I'll pass on the food, but I'll tag along anyway."

"Alright!" shouted a gleeful Tucker.

Michelle couldn't help but to laugh at their responses. Together, the three made their way to another part of town. The buildings gave way to colorful rides, the air filled with the roar of the machinery and the screams of the riders.

They'd spent a good few hours there; Michelle and Tucker feasting upon greasy fries, churros and funnel cakes while Sam watched on, nibbling slowly on some cotton candy. They hopped on a number of rides, Tucker nearly losing his dinner on the tilt-a-whirl. As dusk crept upon the city, they decided to wrap up their day with some of the game booths. Michelle had spent more money than she would have liked, pocketing small prizes along the way. Tucker jokingly won a giant unicorn for Sam, much like the one Michelle did for Danny years ago. They'd also noticed many of the games had prizes that were ghost themed, some subtle and others blatant, like the unmistakable logo stitched on a pillow, or a small plushie designed in Danny's likeness. Michelle didn't really mind; being used to seeing merchandise after their popularity skyrocketed. Yet she couldn't ignore the slight pang in her stomach.

The sky grew steadily darker until the pastels gave way to the vast indigo expanse, and the three made their way out of the carnival. The roaring of the rides, carnie music, and shouts of joy slowly faded behind them as they made their way toward Sam's neighborhood.

The moon was bright, shining a silver in contrast to the harsh yellow glow of the street lights as they paused at a corner, with Sam's street just to the side.

"Well, this is where I bid thee goodnight," Sam said, smiling at Tucker and Michelle. "I did have fun, though. Thanks for inviting us out, Michelle."

"Yeah!" Tucker added in. "It's the most fun I've had in ages, we need to do this again before you go back to Texas."

Michelle smiled at her friends. She'd gotten lost within the days, not realizing how close it was before she herself had to leave for college. Her heart skipped a beat from the reminder. "Hey no problem, I figured it was high time we needed a good day out."

Sam nodded. "Agreed." She glanced up at the sky. At that very moment, a shooting star blazed across the black expanse, winking out just a mere second later. "Hey, you think Danny's watching us have fun?"

Michelle's mouth opened, but no sound came out at first. Her gaze wandered upward as well. "You know, I think he is."

"He definitely is," Tucker murmured. "He's probably jealous of us."

"Jealous?" Sam repeated with a small chuckle. "Nah, he's flying through space as we speak, exploring different galaxies faster than the speed of light. I think we should be the jealous ones."

Michelle and Tucker let out a little laugh, however the cowgirl felt her stomach knot just a smidge. She tried to push the thought away.

"Anyway," Sam started. "I should be heading home. I'm beat. Later!" she waved at them before jogging down her street.

Tucker turned to Michelle. "Hey cowgirl, I'll see you soon, alright?" he held up his fist.

Michelle smiled and fist-bumped him. "Alright, Tuck. Goodnight."

As the techno geek turned the opposite direction, Michelle was left alone at the corner, standing underneath the pale yellow light.

After a few weeks of mourning, she'd gotten back to her normal life. While the thought of Danny crossed her mind a handful of times, she refused to dwell on it in case of bringing back the painful hole that she carefully mended over the course of the summer. Although every once in a while, she'd allow herself to pick a fond memory, letting it replay in her head.

Now, she really wondered if Danny was dancing amongst the stars, his spirit traveling around at light speed. She closed her eyes, a memory flooding her current thought.

" _Oh look, that's Orion. You can see his belt. Now that-you see, that is Leo." Danny explained, pointing up at a constellation._

 _The warm spring night in early May embraced them. After a long day of school and fighting ghosts, the two decided to pull out a blanket and camp out on top of the Ops Center. The air was clear, and the stars were bright and beautiful._

 _Michelle had her head in Danny's lap, listening as he began his nerdy space antics. "That's my zodiac sign!" she said excitedly._

" _I know," he smiled down at her. "Leo the lion, it fits you well."_

 _Michelle smirked in response. "Loud and fierce, you got that right," she chuckled. "What else you got?"_

" _Hmm…" Danny leaned back stretching his neck upward to take in the entire view. He pointed directly up above them. "That's the Big Dipper, probably the easiest to see…" he went silent for a moment. "And that is the Little Dipper. Otherwise, they're known as Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the two bears."_

 _Michelle turned her attention to where he was pointing. She could make out the patterns of the dippers, however, imagining them as bears was a different story. "All I see," she began. "Is a bear with a giant spoon stuck inside it."_

 _Danny burst out in laughter, his body vibrating against hers. She joined in, and the two guffawed for a solid minute before calming down. There was complete silence now._

" _Danny?" she said, looking up at him._

" _Yeah?" he responded, meeting her eyes._

" _You know, whenever you do become an astronaut, do you think you could take me with you?" she asked, a little timidly._

 _Danny was silent for a couple of seconds. He looked thoughtful, and then a slow smile spread across his lips. "Of course." He murmured, sliding his hand tenderly under her chin. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips._

She opened her eyes, staring at what she noticed was the Big Dipper. That memory was so fresh that it still felt like that night on top of the Op Center. Her body tingled as the memory faded back into her subconscious.

"I hope you still keep that promise." Michelle whispered, a soft sigh carried away with a gentle breeze.

The exhaustion of the day started to make its presence. Her muscles ached and her eyelids felt droopy. Not wanting to walk home, she let herself transform and soared into the warm summer air.

On her way, a familiar building loomed in her field of view. It was the Op Center, and the marquee's sharp contrast against the red brick exterior. She realized she'd strayed quite a bit from her original path, her mind had gone on autopilot once again. Although it wasn't her destination in mind, she flew closer and closer, opposite of the direction of her home. She could see the lights on through the windows. The Ghost Assault vehicle was parked out front, although Jazz's little sedan was nowhere to be seen.

With a sigh, she recognized Danny's bedroom windows, nearly pitch black from the inside. Turning her gaze elsewhere, she found herself descending towards the ground. Despite her exhaustion, she almost felt like something was pulling her here.

She landed on the stoop, promptly reverted to her human self before knocking on the door. A few seconds passed before it opened, revealing Maddie.

"Michelle!" Maddie looked surprised. "What brings you here?"

"Um…" Michelle trailed off. "I just felt like visiting."

Maddie smiled at her, then gestured for her to come in. "You know you're always welcome here."

Michelle stepped inside, looking around. She hadn't been back since before the event, yet everything looked the same, aside from the framed flag that sat on a shelf. A faint smell of sloppy Joe's wafted through her nostrils.

"We just finished having dinner, would you like a plate?" Maddie offered as she closed the door.

Michelle shook her head. "I'm fine, thanks."

"Is that Michelle?" Jack's voice boomed from the kitchen. A moment later, he bounded through the doorway with a grin on his face. "There she is!"

Michelle gave Jack a sheepish smile. "Hi, Mr. Fenton."

He pulled her into a tight hug, and she gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. Jack released her, his smile wide. "How have you been?"

"Fine, I guess," she caught her breath as she shrugged. "I've been busy."

"So we've noticed," Maddie replied, giving her a look. "We can't blame you though, you'll be leaving for college soon after all. And actually, I'm glad you stopped by. We wanted to talk to you about something."

Michelle frowned at this. "Wait, about what?"

The smiles disappeared from the Fenton parents' faces as they glanced at one another, then back to her, which further made her nervous.

"Here, let's go sit down."

A few minutes later, Michelle sat at the kitchen table, her legs shaking in anticipation. Jack sat across from her while Maddie has gone upstairs to retrieve something. Silence buzzed in her ears as the two waited, the creaking of the floor above as Maddie bustled around. As she came back down and entered the kitchen, she took a seat next to Jack, her hands clutched together and resting on the table.

"Michelle," Maddie began. "Did Danny ever talk to you about…starting a life with you?"

Michelle stared at them blankly, and then she frowned even more. "Not really…" she recalled that brief moment back at the Nasty Burger, when Danny hinted about actually marrying her. She never did find out if he was serious or not.

"Well…" Maddie's eyes met Jack's who nodded once. She turned her attention to Michelle again, and slowly unclasped her fingers. Within her gloved hands sat a small box, adorned with black velvet.

Michelle's eyes widened. Is that what she thought it was? She raised a shaking hand, wanting to grasp it, but hesitated. Maddie merely nodded and held it out to her. Gingerly, Michelle picked it up, and then flipped it open.

There sat a fine golden band with an amethyst adorning the top, cut into a shape of a heart and glittering with an iridescent shine. On either side were two smaller stones, the golden band woven between them like thread. It was gorgeous.

"It's…it's…" Michelle's throat caught.

"We found it in his room about a week ago. We… we don't know if it's a promise ring or…an engagement ring," Maddie admitted. "All we know is Danny loved you a lot."

Michelle could not find the words to express herself. A familiar feeling rose in her chest as she swallowed the knot that stuck in her throat. Danny truly did mean what he said.

She blinked, and her vision blurred as tears welled in her eyes. She felt them streak down her cheeks, and wiped them away immediately.

"Wow," she croaked. "I can't believe he…wanted to spend the rest of his life with me."

A tingling sensation washed over her as her imagination ran wild. Staying together beyond their teenage and young adult years, living together, getting married, having kids and growing old. He wanted the entire package and then some.

"Do you want it?" Jack asked.

Michelle glanced up at the two of them, both staring at her expectantly while sharing a sad smile. She turned her attention back down to the ring. She gingerly plucked it from the keeper, and rested it on her palm. It looked so small and delicate. She closed her fingers around it and sighed, "Yes, I do."

Maddie got up and rounded the table, embracing the cowgirl in her arms. "You're like a daughter to us, and I would have loved to have you as part of our family."

Michelle shivered at the words. She hugged Maddie in return, and her guts flipped knowing that chance was long gone. Maddie soon released her grip, eyes glossed over and a smile still plastered on her face. Michelle felt a smile of her own spread across her face, and then she glanced over at the time on the microwave. It was nearly 9 pm; the exhaustion was beginning to creep its way back into her system. Her body screamed for bed rest, yet her mind was abuzz with other thoughts.

"May I go up to his room?" she asked.

"Of course." Maddie granted, her eyes glassy.

Michelle nodded once as a thank you, turning to leave the kitchen and into the living room. She trotted to the steps and made her way up, her hand sliding across the banister while her other hand still clutched the ring. She faced the hallway, automatically turning toward the left as she'd done so many times before. The door itself was closed, the signs still lopsidedly decorated all over it. She reached for the knob and turned it, slowly, pushing it open as the hinges creaked. She felt around for the switch and the room lit up.

Everything looked the same. His bed was neatly made, the posters of space and different shuttles still hung on every wall. She walked in, absorbing the scenery as if she hadn't seen it in years. His dresser was littered with random objects; deodorant, body spray, a comb and a brush. Random unfinished homework from school, college letters, photos strewn here and there, some stuck to his mirror. A thin layer of dust on the surface was the only indication that it laid untouched for a while.

The closet door stood ajar, only showing a fraction of the clothes that hung inside. His backpack sat on the chest at the end of his bed, just slightly opened, revealing the mess of notebooks and folders inside. His TV sat as dusty as the dresser, with his game console by the base, the controllers ready to be played.

Nothing had changed; she almost expected Danny to pop in at any moment, joking about something that had happened at school or complaining about a recent influx of ghosts. She crossed over to his closet, her feet echoing oddly loud against the floor. She pulled the door opened more, the closet giving off a musty scent. She reached in and pushed some clothes aside, pulling out a sweater he wore quite often. It was a pale red and white hoodie, the fabric was soft, worn out from its constant use. She placed it up to her face, inhaling quite deeply. Under the must, she could smell his body spray locked in the threads.

She pulled it over her head, smoothing it over her body. It was huge on her small torso; her arms only reaching down two-thirds of the sleeves. The hem reached to the top of her knees. It made her feel like she was a little girl trying on adult clothes, although she felt comfortable nonetheless. She closed the closet door and headed toward the bed and sat herself on the edge. Pulling up one sleeve, she smoothed her hand against the soft, cool fabric. She recounted how many times she and Danny spent the night together, unbeknownst by the parents most of the time. They shared some of their most intimate moments here, entwining their bodies together while the world slept around them.

She let herself fall back onto the pillows, a cloud of dust surrounding her as she did so. She wished she could be brought back to that time, being held in Danny's arms as they drifted off to sleep in the wee hours of the morning. They could have done that every night.

The ring still remained in her hand. Lifting her fist up, she unclenched it and took the ring in between her fingers. It glittered beautifully underneath the harsh ceiling light. Without hesitation, she slid it on to her left ring finger. It fit perfectly.


	8. Never Alone

_"When someone dies, it's comforting to know they might be with you in spirit. I was never prepared for this moment." - Michelle Durante_

She felt her body shift back and forth slightly, and a voice whispering her name. Her eyes opened, roused from the nap she didn't even know she took. She stared up at Maddie, who was sitting beside her on the edge of the bed, a gloved hand placed on her shoulder.

"Oh-" Michelle sat up immediately, her vision a little bleary. She rubbed them for a brief moment, and noticed she was still in the hoodie, on Danny's bed. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I fell asleep…"

Maddie nodded in understanding. "That's okay, you looked tired anyway. I figured you could use a bit of a nap."

Michelle opened her mouth only to let out a large yawn before responding. "How long was I out for?"

"About an hour and a half. I would let you spend the night here, but I know how your mom is."

"Right," Michelle swung her legs over the side, feeling slightly embarrassed that she passed out like that, especially in Danny's untouched room. She felt incredibly stiff and stretched out, the sleeves falling to her elbows. "I should…probably put this back." She mumbled, looking down at the hoodie.

Maddie shook her head. "No, you keep it. It's okay," she sighed heavily. "It was one of his Christmas presents, you know. I'm sure it would have a better home with you instead of collecting dust in the closet…"

Michelle caught the tiniest of breaks in Maddie's voice. Before she could respond, Maddie spoke again. "We…came in last week to see what we could box up. See what we could keep and what we could donate, but…"

Michelle listened quietly. She watched as Maddie wiped a stray tear from her eye. "I'm sorry." Was all she could say.

Maddie shook her head. "No need to be, honey. At least there's one thing that could be put to use, well…two," her indigo eyes traveled to the night stand. "We found the ring on there."

Michelle turned to look at the night stand. A spot stuck out, a square shaped area where the dust didn't settle. She pursed her lips and turned back to Maddie. "Thanks, Mrs. Fenton. It means a lot to me."

Maddie smiled wider, getting to her feet. She reached forward and pulled Michelle into a short yet tight hug. Stepping back, she replied, "Any time, Michelle. Get home safe."

Michelle nodded once. She transformed and turned, flying through the window. The cool air breezed across her face as she climbed higher into the sky. The moon was extremely bright, illuminating the town in its silvery hue. Cars were still on the streets, and she could hear music and shouting in the distance. It was, after all, a Friday night. The city was bound to be up and running still.

Surprisingly, Michelle didn't feel all that tired anymore. She guessed the nap did her some good; despite the ache the remained deep in her muscles from swimming earlier. She still didn't feel like going home, although she knew she had to check in at some point. She began to float aimlessly in the sky, hovering over random streets and houses, absentmindedly watching the late-night activities and police cruisers following cars that looked suspiciously wobbly.

She actually wished there was a ghost around, just so she could have a little bit of action.

As if right on cue, she heard an annoying voice bellow from behind, "I am the Box Ghost!"

Michelle sighed heavily and turned around to find the chubby ghost floating just a few yards away.

"Are you kidding?" She huffed. "How you managed to pass the Fenton's security is beyond me, but you're about to go back."

"Wait!" The Box Ghost commanded, holding his hands up. "I am not here to attack you with my square fury!"

Michelle placed her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow. "Then what are you here for, you weirdo?"

"I have a package to deliver to you, even though I didn't want to!" He responded with a dramatic air.

"...Excuse me?"

"Here!" The Box Ghost pulled a small box from behind his back, a magenta aura surrounding it as it floated its way over to her. She didn't grab it, only stared at it suspiciously.

"If this is a trick, it ain't working." Michelle growled, folding her arms.

"It's not a trick," he started. "It's sent by an admirer, someone who loves you deeply!"

Michelle didn't answer, only stared at him in confusion. Did the Box Ghost just try to woo her, or did some poor ghost fool suddenly start crushing on her? She felt uncomfortable. "No thanks." She finally said.

"Just take the dang package," The Box Ghost said in annoyance, without his usual over dramatic voice. "And beware!" And with that, he flew into the distance.

As she watched him go, the box remained floating in front of her. Curiosity twinged in the back of her mind, but her better senses told her it might be some sort of trick. Yet the Box Ghost was not smart enough to devise such a plan anyway.

Sighing, she grabbed the box, and the aura vanished. It was small and simple; made of cardboard with a lid on the top. It was only a smidge bigger than her palm. Carefully, she popped open the lid to see what looked like a diamond on the inside, glittering blue in the moonlight.

"What...?" She reached in and grasped it. It wasn't a diamond, it was ice. The facets began to melt at her fingertips, and she withdrew her hand immediately. Who would send her an ice crystal?

And then the realization stunned her, floored her as if being smacked into by a moving car. Her stomach flipped and her limbs tingled. There was only one person she knew was able to make crystals like these.

Did that mean Danny was alive?

No, not alive. He was dead and buried. His human life ended, yet that only meant one thing. He was a full ghost.

She flipped the crystal out into her hand. It melted slowly; the water seeping into the fabric of her glove. What the Box Ghost said now made sense; Danny was sending her a message, a message that he was still out there, somewhere.

Her entire body shivered so hard that she felt herself sinking toward the ground. She allowed herself to land on a rooftop, her legs nearly collapsing from underneath. Her heart hammered as blood roared through her ears. The crystal was clutched in her fist, and she held it to her heart. All of this time, she thought he was lost forever to the world. Everyone did. No one even gave a second thought that his ghostly side may have survived somehow.

And if the Box Ghost was able to deliver this to her, that meant Danny was somewhere in the Ghost Zone.

Her body continued to tremble with excitement, wanting nothing more than to launch herself into the Ghost Zone right that moment to set out and find him. She considered calling Sam and Tucker, or going back to the Fentons and telling them.

But what if it wasn't true? What if it was a trick; a ruse to lure her in somehow? Plenty of ghosts still hated her and Danny; and with Danny gone, they could easily take advantage of the opportunity to dispose of her too.

She opened her hand, the crystal mostly melted now. Danny was always capable of making little trinkets with his ice powers, giving her gem-shaped chunks of ice as gifts, and even helping her cool down on days where her body would overheat. It had to be him.

And she was going to find out for herself.

Standing up, Michelle launched herself into the air once again, making a beeline for FentonWorks.

Unlike before, the Fenton household was completely dark. Assuming Maddie and Jack had gone to bed, she phased through the sidewalk, passing through pipelines and stone to get to the basement. Her body phased into the lab, her vision adjusting as the lights were off.

The black and yellow striped doors of the portal were closed, and a small screen on the side stood stark in the darkness, with the word "LOCKED" flashed in bright green letters.

Further to the right was a computer containing a fingerprint scanner. Originally set to open for the Fentons, Maddie and Jack had taken the liberty to update its information to take Michelle's fingerprints, as well as Sam and Tucker's. She approached the scanner slowly, staring at the little spot. Her heart hammered as her hand hovered over. Something in the back of her mind still screamed that it might be a trap, but there was that off-chance that it wasn't, and Danny was waiting behind those doors.

Swallowing hard, Michelle shoved her thumb onto the scanner, which immediately accepted. The screen changed as a heavy clink sounded, and the doors slid open, revealing the bright green energy of the Ghost Zone. She stared at the energies swirling around and made her way over, halting just a few feet before the entrance. She glanced back at the stairwell, expecting the Fentons to come bounding down, alerted from the noise. Yet there was nothing, the air filled with the faint hum of the machines around her.

She faced the portal again. Her legs coiled beneath her, and she sprung right through, the lab falling behind as she entered the dark, vast expanse of the Ghost Zone. Behind her, she heard the doors shut. There was no turning back now.

In the distance, ghosts flew about, either alone or in groups. Some were recognizable, others weren't. She hoped they wouldn't try to cause any trouble with her, and she began to fly forward.

Except she had no idea where to go, or even the start looking. The Ghost Zone was huge, and seemed to be endless. Danny and the group spent the past four years trying to map everything out, and yet it was so massive that there were places remaining untouched. Michelle huffed in annoyance, wishing he'd at least would have given some indication or directions.

She looked around, half-hoping he'd appear out of nowhere. "Ugh, where are you?" she groaned, with no other choice but to continue on, straight forward.

It must've been an hour or two that Michelle had been flying. The exhaustion from earlier began to set in again; her eyelids growing heavy from staring at the bleak atmosphere of this world. More often times than not she found herself growing increasingly wobbly as her body just wanted to rest, yet her mind wanted to keep going. She passed many doors, windows, buildings, and islands. Ghosts who gave her a side glance as they passed by, but none ever tried to stop or fight her.

Eventually, she began to see spots in her vision. Her mind was tired and she was forcing her eyes to stay open. Nothing showed that Danny was nearby, or even here at all.

It felt pointless, looking for this long and this far. She sighed and landed on one of the floating rocks, rubbing her eyes. "What am I doing?" she murmured to herself. "I'm crazy, I know it."

 _Crazy?_

Michelle popped her head up at the sound of a familiar voice. She didn't hear it, rather it echoed inside her head. She looked wildly around, and set her eyes on a black horse with purple markings.

"Diablo!" Michelle gasped. Her heart lightened a great deal, glad to see a familiar face. She bounded over to her friend, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Didn't think I'd run into you…here…"

 _I do travel around quite a bit._ Diablo responded. _What are you doing here?_

"I…I'm looking for Danny, I think he's here somewhere," Michelle sighed. "Did you know he died?"

Diablo's ears twitched. _I have heard, but I have not seen him._

Michelle sighed heavily, disappointment fusing with frustration. She felt like going home at this point. Diablo seemed to notice this, and nuzzled her gently.

 _I'm sure you can find him._ He mumbled reassuringly.

Michelle smiled at this, thanking him with a pet. "Thanks, Diablo."

The ghost horse bowed his head curtly, and the silence was broken when a shrill screech sounded. Michelle flinched and Diablo jumped in surprise. The cowgirl turned her attention to where the screech came from, and a chill ran down her spine.

There, just a few yards away, towering over the both of them. It was the demon ghost, glowering menacingly. The spiked tail swung back and forth. Its claws were out as if waiting for a battle. As Michelle met its gaze, its eyes narrowed. It remembered who she was.

Anger began to boil in Michelle's stomach as she glared at the monster. Her hands erupted in fire as she turned to face it directly.

"Back for more?" She snarled, rocketing upward to be on its level. The monster roared at her. "Bring it." She growled.

Without hesitation, she pelted toward it, hands straight out, fiery blasts exploding from her fists. They smacked against the ghost, yet seemingly did nothing. It swatted at her, and she dodged it easily. It swung around, its tail waving violently as it came just inches from her. She dodged it again.

"You won't get me like that again!" She yelled at it.

The monster hissed, swiping at her once more. Michelle flew upward, out of its reach. With a quick motion, she thrust her foot out and sped downward, her heel connecting with its head, generating a loud CRUNCH. The monster staggered, shaking its head dizzily. With it distracted, Michelle quickly flew around and shot fire into its eyes. It screeched loudly, raising a hand to rub his face.

Michelle grinned, finally finding a weakness in this thing. She just had to keep hammering the head, but she had to be quick about it.

The monster regained its vision, and as quick as lightning, shot out its arm toward her. The massive hand connected with her face first, her mouth uttering a yowl as her body sent soaring for what seemed like a millisecond before she crashed back first into something solid. Whatever it was fell over, and began to scramble underneath her.

Her daze cleared, and she realized the monster had knocked her into Diablo. The horse was still trying to get up.

"Sorry-" she groaned, catching her breath and quickly forcing herself up. Diablo got to his feet right after, shaking his head as if he were dazed too. Their eyes met briefly, and his ears suddenly flattened against his head. Michelle didn't have time to react when he barreled forward, his head butting painfully into her abdomen. She gasped in surprise as the two traveled forward when the spiked tail swung out of nowhere, landing on the spot where they just were, promptly obliterating the floating rock beneath it.

Michelle recovered, her torso feeling a little sore after that. She sighed in relief. "Thanks, Diablo." out of the corner of her eye, Michelle could see the monster flying toward them, arms and claws outstretched.

She turned quickly as Diablo dashed out of the way. For such a large thing, it was quick moving. She slipped in between its legs as it struck at her, and spun herself around to launch upward once again. It seemed confused and attempted to turn around. However, Michelle was ready. Pointing herself downward, fire erupted from her feet as it propelled her forward, her fists stuck straight out in front of her. Wind whipped around and roared in her ears as she dive-bombed into its abdomen. Despite the hard, scaly exterior, the sheer force caused a tear as bright green ichor splattered out, covering her face. The demon fell back, almost as if in slow motion, and landed on another floating rock.

Michelle flew up a few feet, quickly observing the damage. The tear in its stomach was still pouring fluid, although the seams began to close at the edges, indicating that it was beginning to heal quickly. However, the monster itself looked as if it were in pain. A deep groan erupted from its throat as it tried to get to its feet again. She'd stunned it, and only temporarily.

Taking a deep breath, she raised her hands up and behind her head, letting her energy collect as fiery power in her palms. Her arms trembled as she kept herself steady. As the monster began to sit up, she thrust her arms forward, a huge blast of bright fire shooting out like a missile, landing directly on its face. It let out a shrill screech and flailed its arms, trying to relieve the burning.

Michelle didn't hesitate. She tossed flame after flame, peppering its face and head as it tried and failed to defend itself. One final fastball made it lay flat again, not ceasing its incessant shrieking.

She had one final trick up her sleeve. She clasped her hands together, raising them up over her head once again. She began to spin her body around and around like a ballerina as a column of fire formed around her clamped hands, cascading down her arms and engulfing her entirely. Faster she went; soon becoming a mere golden blur. She aimed and torpedoed herself down, a mere split second passing before she connected with the demon's forehead. A loud bang sounded, followed a sickening crunch, and her ears rang as it gave one final shriek of pain before the noise was abruptly cut off. Fluid splattered everywhere, covering her entire body as her spinning came to a stop.

The heat surrounded her, and her body fell onto the rough stone beneath her. She slowly stood up, observing the area. The demon's body was completely gone, what's left were puddles of ichor that were beginning to vanish as well in columns of green smoke. The fluid that covered her body began to do the same, and she stared in surprise.

She'd beaten the creature. So little was known about it, aside from how powerful and dangerous it was. Despite that, she'd gotten to do what she couldn't before. Her shock was replaced with triumph.

She jumped in the air, pumping her first. "YES!" she screeched happily, landing lightly on her feet as she noticed Diablo approach her.

 _That was quite a battle._ He sounded impressed.

Michelle smiled. She raised a shaking arm to pat him on the side of the neck. The adrenaline was wearing out, and the excitement from that battle was replaced with absolute exhaustion. Her body was drained. Her muscles trembled as an uncomfortable heat set in.

"Too bad Danny wasn't here to watch…" she responded, her voice frail.

"Who said I wasn't?" called a voice from behind her.

Michelle's heart sped up. A voice she'd never thought she would hear again. She swiveled around so quickly it made her slightly dizzy, but her vision was clear. There, floating 20 feet away, was Danny.

"D-Danny?" she called, forcing herself forward as every muscle in her body screamed in protest. She made her way over, his features becoming more detailed. He had a wide smile, and his eyes were soft. She stopped in front of him, studying his face. He didn't seem like a hallucination or a trick. She raised her hand to his cheek, her fingertips brushing against his cool, soft skin.

"You're alive." She said breathlessly.

His head tilted as a chuckle rumbled from his throat. "Not quite, but close enough." He replied.

The area around them began to spin. Michelle opened her mouth to say something, and then everything went sideways as her body began to succumb to the utter exhaustion. She felt something solid beneath her, Danny's cool arms holding her securely, his increasingly blurred face showing concern.

"Easy now…" he murmured, his voice becoming distorted.

"I…" Michelle weakly began. Her sentence died in her throat as everything went black.


	9. Lover's Embrace

**WARNING: Chapter contains smut.**

 _"You ever have a moment that's too good to be true, as if it were a dream? That's what I thought it was, yet I was happy to be wrong for once." - Michelle Durante_

The last thing Michelle remembered was seeing Danny's face.

Bright swirls of color erupted in her vision, appearing and disappearing in frequent bursts. Many faces appeared too, people she knew. Her family and friends. The demon would phase in on occasion, its bright red eyes narrowing angrily at her. She would try to lash out at it, only to disappear instantaneously.

A strange, muffled noise broke through her subconscious. The smooth strum of an electric guitar and the rhythmic thump of drums told her it was music. Her eyes opened slowly, finding herself staring up at a plain light blue ceiling, and the tops of couch cushions to her left. She blinked, clearing the bleariness from her vision as she turned her head to right, observing what seemed to be a small sized living room. Directly across from her was a medium size flat screen TV with a GameStation placed in front of it. The music, which she realized was a Dumpty Humpty song, was quietly playing from a stereo next to the flat screen. On the left wall stood a doorway leading to what looked like a kitchen. On the opposite wall was a closed door. At the far end of the couch was a second closed door.

Michelle frowned in confusion, wondering where she was. As she tried to sit up, the door opened. Her body immediately tensed as she snapped her head towards it, only to see Danny walk out. He wasn't wearing his usual suit, instead dressed in a black tank top and white gym shorts. His eyes met hers.

"Oh good, you're awake," He said with a smile, making his way over and kneeling in front of her. "You've been out for a while."

Michelle sighed as she sat up, her muscles stiff and her head heavy. "How long, exactly?"

Danny shrugged, his mouth contorting in thought. "A few hours, maybe more."

"Jeez, sorry..." she murmured, looking down at her legs.

"Why are you apologizing?"

She turned her attention back up to him. "I'm a mess, I passed out in your arms. I probably look like shit because of that fight plus what I was doing earlier today-" she stopped as Danny put a finger to her lips.

"Don't stress over that, I think you look amazing," he said softly, removing his finger. "I'm just glad you're here."

She stared at him for a moment, trying to think of what to say. She took a deep breath. "I know, it's just been…it feels like ages since I last saw you."

He nodded shortly. "I see you raided my closet too." He chuckled, switching the conversation to a lighter tone. He reached out to her arm, his fingers brushing against the hoodie she still wore.

She smiled slightly, meeting his bright green gaze. "I couldn't help myself." She giggled. It felt strangely normal being here; speaking to one another as if no time has passed. At the same time, it felt completely surreal. She'd found him out here, after the hell she'd gone through just to get to this point. Maybe she was dreaming after all.

"So…" she began, idly playing with a lock of her hair. "This…this is real?"

Danny nodded again. "As real as it could ever be."

Silence fell between them, and they stared at one another, unblinkingly. Her mind still bounced back in forth, a small piece still convinced this was all a dream, and she'd wake up in her own bed back in Amity Park.

Danny's hand raised and his palm rested gently on her cheek. His skin was unnaturally cool, and she placed her hand over his, leaning into his touch. "I've missed you so much," She whispered, her voice slightly cracking with emotion. "It's been hell…"

"I've missed you too." Danny sighed.

She stared, allowing herself to become lost in his bright gaze. This couldn't be real, could it? She could still be passed out at the Fentons' place, lost in a lovely dream.

Their faces grew closer, slowly, until their lips met. The kiss was soft and gentle, his cool lips on hers. She marveled the moment, making sure she wasn't dreaming. Danny's hands held her face, keeping her there as his mouth pressed harder on hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. His hands left her face to grip her lower back, pulling her body to press against his.

His breath was cold, chilling the inside of her mouth. Despite their clothes separating her skin, she shivered from the low temperature radiating from his body. Before, he was just a few degrees cooler. Now, it's almost as if he were made of ice. She slid her hands down his back, exploring the planes and bulges of his muscles. His hands moved once again, sliding down her body to grip the outside of her thighs.

The stiffness vanished from her muscles as her legs wrapped around his waist. He stood up, supporting her weight as he began to walk somewhere. Within moments, Danny pressed Michelle's back to what felt like a bed. Their lips still mashed against one another, parting only for quick breaths in between. She gripped his shirt and tore it off with one swoop, briefly admiring his physique. Scars, both aged and fresh, decorated his torso like tattoos. His mouth found hers once again, indicating that he was more than eager for this moment. She flinched as she felt his cold hands make their way under her shirt, realizing he'd phased the hoodie off. His fingers smoothed against her abdomen, enjoying her curves. He parted their mouths, moving downward to push her shirt up even more. He took his time and placed soft, sweet kisses on her stomach. Her heart raced, and goosebumps erupted where his lips met, a tingling sensation shortly following.

His lips caressed every inch of her belly. He briefly paused as his eyes skimmed over her recent scar, and lay a gentle kiss upon it before continuing on, his mouth making its way up to her bra. With one flick of his wrist, he phased it off, allowing her breasts to rest freely. He planted his lips in between them, and she twitched as his icy fingers massaged them. His thumbs encircled her nipples, a sensation pleasant and new with his frosty skin. A soft moan escaped her throat as she tilted her head back, waves of pleasure beginning to course through her body.

Something hard pressed against her inner thigh. She reached down to rub his erection, partially constricted by his shorts. Concealed behind the smooth fabric, she phased the last of his clothing off. His exposed shaft stood at attention. Her fingers lightly brushed against the head, resulting in a shudder from Danny. Her palm rested against the length and she wrapped her fingers around the girth, beginning with soft and slow strokes.

His hands left her mounds, sliding down her upper body before stopping at the waistband of her jeans. With no time wasted, her pants and underwear were off, allowing complete exposure to him. His commented on how beautiful she was, and heat licked at her cheeks with a blush.

His fingers parted her lower lips as he searched for her bud. It took no time at all as his thumb began to roll against it. She gasped as her back arched, her toes curling against the sheets. She bit her lip as he pressed her like a button, swirled and rubbed in quick patterns. Her body shuddered as her fingers flexed, gripping the fabric.

"Danny…" she cooed, tilting her head back. Danny's mouth found her skin once again and moved its way upward, tickling her neck as he nibbled and sucked gently, leaving his marks behind.

The ghost boy worked his magic easily, had her body memorized like a map. His fingers found their way in, fervently exploring her hot core. He pressed his fingertips against her most sensitive spot. Michelle couldn't contain her voice as she let out a squeal. Her legs trembled as he played her with such ease; practiced precision to drive her wild.

"You're so wet." He growled into her neck in such a sultry fashion it made her shiver.

Her own hand still moved along his length, it throbbing slightly against her palm as if impatient for what was going to come. The next stroke rewarded her with a small expulsion of pre-cum. She released her grip and licked the fluid off her fingers, marveling the taste. Danny lifted his head, his eyes boring into hers, reflecting a hunger that she instantly recognized. With a single nod from her, he aligned himself. Michelle's hands took their place around his neck once more, as his gripped her hips. He didn't hesitate as he pushed forward, sheathing himself within her in a smooth glide.

Michelle gasped, shocked by the sudden almost ice-like cold. His hips began to move slowly, his eyelids fluttering from the pleasure as guttural moans rose out of his mouth. Her legs encircled his waist as his arms slid underneath her back, his pace becoming steadily faster and harder. Pleasure rippled through her with each pound, his skin brushing against hers, more goosebumps erupting and causing her to tremble gently. Danny's grip on her tightened; practically clinging as his breathing became ragged and rapid.

"Michelle…Misha…" His thick voice panted. He brought himself upward as he pulled her with him, allowing her to sit on his lap. She looked him in his clouded, lustful gaze and smiled, beginning to grind her hips against him. Danny tilted his head back, his throat rumbling with a low groan. His fingers slid down her back, his nails scratching her skin. He pressed his forehead to her chest, and her fingers entwined in his white hair, tangling within the soft locks. His heavy breath delivered a stinging chill to her flesh and becoming increasingly shallower as the cowgirl sped up her movement.

He bucked his hips up as she brought herself down, her voice crying in delight. They moved together in perfect synchronization, the air filled with their sighs. Danny's nails ravaged the skin on her back as she arched herself, her abdomen pressing against his solid chest. His tongue roughly lapped against her breasts, her collarbone, her neck. Her body vibrated against his; ecstasy radiating throughout her veins. She bounced on him, over and over. A sting on her neck spurred her to ride him harder, a small gasp passing her lips as his teeth abused her flesh.

Danny muttered her name repeatedly, sinful whispers in between beastly groans. He pulled her in for another deep kiss, his fingers snaking up and knotting into her hair. His lips were fierce against hers, his thrusts becoming intense. His arms shuddered as his voice, although muffled, raised an octave. He pulled his head back an inch to hiss in a breathy tone, "I-I'm gonna cum…"

A smirk crossed her face as she slowed down, allowing her hips to rotate around his girth. She could feel a build up inside; inching toward her own climax with each thrust. She was close; the nerves in her entire body prickling with the oncoming release. Her breath quickened as she staved the urge to increase her pace, wanting to prolong it for the moment. Danny cried out her name as he gripped her waist tightly, shoving himself further into her with a violent slam. That one last hit did it; her nails clawed at his back as she let out a scream, her orgasm pulsing through her like a sweet drug. Simultaneously, Danny joined her with a howl, their voices filling the room as he exploded with his own release.

Their shouts soon died down as their climaxes eased out of their systems, leaving both heavily panting. Their eyes met, and Danny gave her a small smile. He reached up, cupping her chin meet her lips once again with a gentle, sweet kiss.

"I love you, so much." He whispered breathlessly, resting his head against her chest.

It was that simple phrase that set butterflies in her stomach. The phrase she missed so much. "I love you too." She responded, pulling him into a tight embrace.


	10. Reality Strikes

_"It was amazing to be back in Danny's arms after all this time. I could have stayed with him forever, except there were other matters..." - Michelle Durante_

Together, they lay in Danny's bed, relaxing in each other's arms. Their eyes never left each other, not saying much at all. Fatigue began to set in again, not nearly as intense as it was before. She roved over his body, touching every surface, convincing the tiniest part of her mind that it wasn't a dream.

Her fingers absentmindedly traced over his scars. Claw marks, burn marks, deep cuts from blades, some lined with tiny dots to signify the skin was once stitched together. Being a ghost hybrid came with the benefit of quicker healing, although not every wound disappeared entirely. His body riddled with reminders of countless battles from the past four years. She knew the story behind every single one like the back of her hand.

And then, there were new ones.

She propped herself up on her elbow up to observe them. These were circular, the edges rough almost shaped like a saw blade. They were peppered all over his chest and stomach, some on his neck and upper arms. They seemed to have been freshly healed; the scar tissue still puckered and lightly tinged green. Her innards did a flip when she realized what they were from.

Danny noticed what she was looking at. "Yeah- that thing did a lot of damage, didn't it?" he sighed.

Michelle frowned a little. "It killed you," she glanced down at her naked body, her hand lightly brushing across the scar on her stomach. "God- just one spike nearly killed me. But you, you got so much…"

Danny didn't respond right away. He pursed his lips, his eyes glancing down at the scars. "The strangest thing is, I don't remember dying. As soon as I got hit, everything went dark. I couldn't feel, no pain or anything. I couldn't hear or see. It was like…everything around me just vanished. All at once."

"That's how I felt too," Michelle responded. "Well…before they managed to pull me back."

Silence fell between them, as if both were unsure what to say next. Their gazes briefly met, and then Danny's attention fixated on something else. Her left hand. He slid his own hand underneath hers to pick it up, observing the faintly glittering ring on her finger. Michelle had nearly forgotten about it; and Danny's frown was replaced with a wide smile.

"You found it." He said, a glimmer of excitement in his tone.

"Oh, yeah," Michelle said, looking at it. "I stopped by your house last night, and they showed it to me. They weren't sure if it was a promise ring or an engagement ring."

Danny chuckled once, entwining his fingers with hers. "It's an engagement ring, actually. I…wanted to ask you after graduation."

Michelle's cheeks burned as if flames licked at her face. "What-really?"

"Of course," he replied, certainty written on his face. "I knew with the whole long distance thing would be hard for us, but…I figured, why not? If we were planning to stick through it all, why not take it a step further?"

Michelle blinked, unable to find words to respond. His words ran through her mind, and emotion welled up in her chest just as when Jack and Maddie presented her the ring before. Her vision blurred, and quick tears streamed from her eyes. She immediately wiped them away, taking a shuddering breath.

"Are you okay?" Danny asked, looking concerned. "I didn't upset you, did I?"

"No," Michelle croaked, swallowing. "It's just-" she paused to swallow. "You were planning to do all of this, and your life was ripped away so suddenly…" her shoulders trembled as she tried not to cry. "Danny, losing you was absolute hell. Not for just me, but everyone."

"I know," Danny murmured, releasing her hand to pull her into a hug. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"

Michelle returned the hug, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "It wasn't your fault…" she mumbled, leaning back. "But, I want to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"If you've been here all this time, why didn't you come back immediately after you died?" she inquired.

Danny blinked, and averted her gaze. He let out a long, sorrowful sigh. "It's not that simple," he began. "When I first arrived here, I woke up and I had no idea where I was, who I was, what was going on."

Michelle's brow furrowed. "So, you had amnesia?"

"Essentially," Danny responded. "I flew around aimlessly, looking around for anyone that could help. Naturally, no one wanted anything to do with me," he chuckled without humor. "Except a certain few. They told me where I was, and explained that amnesia was a common side effect with new ghosts, and that my memory may or may not return."

"After a while, I began to remember bits and pieces. My name, my hometown, my friends and my family," he paused for a moment. "And then that night. I began to connect the dots on how I got here in the first place. I'd realized I was truly dead. I didn't know how much time had passed up until that moment, but I wanted to know how everyone was doing…I thought about finding my way back to the portal, see my parents, Jazz, Sam and Tucker, and you."

"And why didn't you?" Michelle inquired.

"My better intuition told me not to," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I felt like…I don't know, everyone would take it the wrong way if I showed up suddenly after being dead for who knows how long. Like, I ran away from my responsibilities. I didn't want that."

Michelle only listened, not having a response.

"Instead, I opted to send a message," Danny continued. "It had to be inconspicuous, and I decided I wanted only you to find it," as Michelle opened her mouth, he explained quickly, "I couldn't risk telling my family, or Sam and Tucker either. The more people know, the harder it is to stay under the radar."

"Danny-"

"Wait, let me finish," he said, holding up a finger. "Believe me, as much as I want to come back, I can't bring myself to do it. I would just cause more pain."

"But you don't know that," Michelle argued. "People might be happy!"

"It's a pretty strong might," Danny sighed. "Even if they were happy, I wouldn't be able to live in the human world. I couldn't just pick my life back up where I left off. There's a reason why the Ghost Zone and Earth are separate."

Michelle's heart sank lower and lower with each word, resting painfully in the pit of her stomach. "But why did you go through all that trouble just to get me here?" she asked quietly.

"I…" he cast his gaze downward, looking genuinely sad, before looking into her eyes once again. "I just wanted to see you. I wanted to make sure you were alright after what happened. I just…missed you."

"Well, I'm here now," Michelle said, reaching out to cup his cheek in her palm. As she smoothed her thumb over his skin, another question came to mind. "Wait, why didn't you ask ClockWork to help you?"

Danny chuckled again. "I tried, he said he wasn't going to keep handing me time medallions like they were freebies, since my last time journey ended in a near disaster," He rolled his eyes. "He told me he can't keep compromising the timeline with my recklessness, or something like that. Death isn't something that can be easily fixed…"

Michelle huffed. "This sucks."

"I know," Danny agreed. "But…there's nothing we can really do about it."

Michelle pursed her lips, folding her arms over her chest, a million thoughts currently whirling through her head. "Then…I'll stay here."

Danny's gaze hardened. "No." he said immediately.

"Well, why not?" Michelle said defensively.

"Because you're still human, you still have a life to live. College and a career," he hesitated, looking very reluctant. "You… could go on and start a family of your own."

Michelle stared at him incredulously. "What? No."

"Michelle," Danny said sadly. "We can't-"

"Don't you dare say that," Michelle hissed, standing right off the bed. She clenched her fists, scowling at him. "I came all this way. We love each other, we just made love for Chrissake! Now you're telling me that I need to find someone else?!"

Danny winced, as if her words stung. "I don't like it any more than you do, except there's no possible way we could make this work out seamlessly. I don't want to hold you back from living your life just to be with me, here."

"Then I'll visit instead!" Michelle exclaimed. "I'll fly back to Amity Park from Texas every weekend if I have to-"

She was interrupted when Danny stood up in such speed to grip her shoulders. His gaze bore deeply into hers. "Michelle, please. Just listen to me." He said calmly, a faint tone of pleading.

"No, Danny, you listen," she said, putting her finger up at him. "I love you. I don't care what barriers I have to cross, I still want you in my life. And this?" she pointed at the ring. "If you wanted to marry me, then why would you tell me this now? Why aren't you fighting harder?"

Danny looked pained. He glanced at the ring, and back to her. "I do want to be with you, Michelle. It's just...Ghosts and humans…being in a relationship," he murmured as he sat on the edge of the bed, running his hand through his hair. "It's unheard of. Hell, I don't even know how it would work…"

"Why does that even matter?" asked Michelle, emotion heavy in her voice. She bent down to his level, taking his face in between her palms. "We could make it work. We have the resources to be together. Even if it means seeing each other, like, once a year. Knowing that you're here is a hell of a lot better than thinking every trace of you was gone forever."

Danny stared at her, internal struggle reflected in his eyes. He broke his gaze for a moment, as if he was contemplating what she was saying. Michelle waited a long moment, silent, waiting for a response. He gazed down at the floor and finally said, "God. I'm so selfish…"

Michelle was about to ask what he meant, when he sighed deeply. "Alright, you win. We can try to do this."

Michelle smiled, placing her hand underneath his chin. "It will be just fine." She reassured him, pulling herself onto his lap.

Danny huffed, rolling his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her. He looked thoughtful, his eyes darting back and forth across the room. He finally responded with, "You know, maybe you're right." a smile lit up his face.

"The way I see it, it's not going to be much different than if we were in college," Michelle pointed out. "But instead of different states, it's different dimensions..." She trailed off, realizing how odd that sounded.

Danny must have noticed this, as he laughed at her remark. "I don't think video chats would work through otherworldly barriers," he then sighed. "How would you even come anyway? My parents' portal is the only working one we know of. They'd notice you sooner or later."

Michelle bit her lip, not thinking about that. As oblivious as Jack and Maddie are, sneaking past through the premises wasn't always an option. She'd end up setting off an anti-ghost alarm or weapon at some point or another.

Before she could say anything, her stomach growled rather loudly, sending a sharp hunger pain through her system. She clutched at her midsection, thinking that carnival food she had was now felt like eons ago. She didn't know how many hours had passed since then.

"Oh, yeah, you're hungry," Danny got up, setting Michelle to her feet as he did. He went around the other end of the bed to pull his shorts back on. "Come on, let's eat."

Twenty minutes later, Michelle was sitting in the tiny kitchen, across from Danny at a small table. A warm bowl of stew was placed in front of her, the savory smell wafting through her nostrils. She grabbed a spoon and immediately dug in.

Though still piping hot, the stew slid down her throat, immediately quenching the scratching emptiness. She continued shoveling food into her mouth; pieces of steak and cooked vegetables creating a medley of flavors against her tongue before swallowing them.

With just a little left, she gulped the rest down, her lips only leaving the bowl once every last piece was gone. She placed the bowl down, to see Danny staring at her with faint amusement.

"What?" She said, wiping her mouth off. "I was hungry."

"Clearly," his voice rumbled with laughter. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Before I came here, whenever that was," she rubbed her head in thought. "I was with Sam and Tucker, we went to the carnival and he and I loaded up on all the greasy goods."

Danny gave a short laugh. "Of course...how are they, anyway?"

"They're alright. They miss you, obviously," Michelle sighed. "But we've been hanging out a lot. Kinda filling the void you left behind, I guess." She shrugged.

Danny frowned, looking down at his bowl. "Ah." He quietly mumbled.

Michelle could feel his sadness well up inside. The longing for his best friends, his family, his old life. She reached across to place her hand over his. "You can come back..."

Danny looked up at her, and shook his head. "I can't-"

"You don't have to make a big announcement, you can just come back to see the ones you love," She pointed out. "You know they wouldn't tell a soul."

Danny did not answer. He gripped his spoon hard and his free hand balling into a first; the tendons straining through the skin on his wrists. His brow furrowed in thought, appearing both confused and worried at once. His lips moved, parting as if he were going to speak. It took a few good minutes before sound came out. "I…don't know."

"Danny," Michelle said curtly, causing his attention to snap back to her. "Stop worrying. You're one of the biggest celebrities in the world, you think they would be angry if you returned?"

"There is a possibility, like I said earlier," Danny sighed. "So many people looked up to me, it may create…mixed feelings."

"But there's also a possibility that they'll be excited!" exclaimed Michelle. "Danny, stop looking at things so negatively. You're working yourself up over practically nothing."

Danny took a shuddering breath, placing the spoon down. "Alright…but not right away. I want to prepare myself first."

Michelle smiled, relief flooding through her body. "Good enough for me."

Danny's mouth twitched. "You're very persuasive, you know that?"

Michelle rolled her eyes and laughed. "I know, but admit it, you're happy."

"Worried a bit, sure," Danny responded. "But definitely happy."

They'd spent another hour or so together, when Michelle realized with a jolt she'd been in the Ghost Zone for much longer than she intended. As much as she didn't want to leave, she knew she had to, knowing her mother had probably sent out a search party for her by now.

The two exited Danny's little house, as he closed the floating door behind them. He turned to face her, his face betraying sorrow for her departure. "I'll escort you to the portal, is that okay?" He asked.

Michelle nodded, taking his hand in her own, entwining their fingers. "Of course, I'd love that." She replied. Internally, her heart hammered painfully.

Danny gave her a small smile, despite his eyes conveying a different emotion. He squeezed her hand and floated onward. She matched his speed, keeping side by side. They flew through the abyss, passing many familiar islands. Ghosts occasionally crossed their path, not really stopping to bother them, which Michelle was glad for. The journey back felt a lot shorter than her first trek; it only seemed like an hour or so before the familiar sight of the Fenton portal came into view.

They halted just a few feet before the swirling mass. Danny turned his attention to it; silent longing plain in his eyes. He closed them briefly to turn away, facing her once again.

"I guess this is where we part ways." He mumbled.

Michelle nodded, her stomach twisting in the thought of having to leave him behind. "I'll be back, ya know? I'll stop by before I leave for college."

"College," he repeated, a long gust of air escaping his lips. "Man…"

Michelle gave him a small, sad smile. Her arms encircled his neck for a final time, running her fingers through his hair. "Can I still try to convince you to come through with me?"

Danny's throat rumbled with a chuckle. "I'm half tempted to, honestly. But…like I said before, I want to prepare myself. I'm not ready yet."

"Well, I tried," Michelle replied, trying to keep the humor going even though she felt her heart sink. "I'm just hoping that's soon."

"We'll see." he took her hands in his own, removing them from his neck and holding them tightly. Their gazes met, and he leaned in. She met him halfway, his cold lips pressed against hers. He released her hands to pull her closer, his arms firm against her lower back.

Just as soon as their kiss began, Danny leaned back, slightly out of breath yet still held on to her. "God, I missed that," he glanced at the portal once again. "I should…probably let you go."

His arms reluctantly left her waist, although she didn't move just yet. She bit her lip, looking back and forth between Danny and the portal. After a moment of silence, she sighed, "I love you, Danny."

"I love you too, Misha." Danny responded, reaching out to caress her cheek briefly. "I'll see you soon."

Michelle nodded, brushing against his hand briefly. "Soon. I promise." She backed up toward the portal, allowing Danny's hand to slip away although kept her focus on him. Behind her, she heard the hum of the swirling energy grow steadily louder. Her body passed through slowly, as her vision became obscured for a brief moment. The Ghost Zone disappeared, and she was facing the other side of the portal.

She was now back in the Fenton basement.

As her feet touched the tiled ground, an eruption of vibrations buzzed from her pocket. Startled by it, she fumbled and grabbed her phone. Surprisingly it hadn't died; however there was an influx of notifications on her screen.

"Shit." She grumbled, scrolling through them. Most of them were from her mom; urgent texts, missed phone calls, and voicemails. Some were from Natalie, others were from Sam and Tucker. Even Maddie and Jack left a handful.

She turned her attention toward the time. It was 2:30 am, and it'd been well over a day since she was in the Ghost Zone.

Amelia was not going to be happy.


	11. Stuck

_"Being a ghost hybrid, it's easy to forget how human you are sometimes." - Michelle Durante_

She'd been right.

Michelle arrived home just fifteen minutes after returning through the portal; taking her sweet time to avoid the inevitable chewing out. As she walked through the door, the Sheriff was wide awake. Amelia had pulled her daughter in a death grip-like hug, peppering Michelle's face with kisses and crying about how worried she'd been.

And then came the yelling. After the initial home greeting, Amelia proceeded to scream her head off at Michelle, spitting out angry Spanglish, so loud that it even caused the neighbors to wake. More than once Amelia demanded to know where Michelle was, and she mustered up a vague lie about needing some alone time outside of Amity Park, which she could tell Amelia didn't believe in the slightest.

It was around 3:30 when Amelia finally allowed Michelle to go to bed, after hammering down the worst grounding of her life: no leaving the house until college.

While it was still about a month away, Michelle's mind was buzzing with a different thought. She lay in her bed, which felt oddly huge after spending time with Danny. She'd have to sneak out at some point or another to see him again, just like she'd promised.

She wondered if Danny would reveal himself sooner rather than later; she'd hoped he would, for everyone's sake. Then her mother would understand.

She had a hard time falling asleep, only dozing off for a bit without really getting a restful wink. Sometime around 8 am, she was roused awake by Amelia, who stood over her head, holding up what appeared to be a silvery belt.

"What is that?" she rasped, rubbing her eyes.

"The Spector Deflector," Amelia said curtly. "I went over to the Fentons and asked for this."

Michelle stared at her mother incredulously. She knew what it was; a wearable device that actively blocked ghosts from attacking the wearer-and blocked ghost powers as well. "Are you serious?!" she exclaimed, her voice raising an octave.

"Yes," Amelia replied, leaning forward to buckle it onto Michelle. An odd prickling sensation surrounded her waist, making her wince. Amelia straightened back up, "I know you're going to try and use your powers to sneak out." She held up the key, placing it on her keychain.

Michelle groaned, dramatically flopping back on her pillow. There went planning to go back at night. "How do you expect me to fight ghosts, then?"

"Jack and Maddie will handle it," said Amelia, not amused by her daughter. She paused for a moment. "I think. Anyway, if you're good then I'll remove it. For now, enjoy being fully human again." And with that, she left, closing the door behind her.

Michelle sighed heavily, kicking her sheets out in frustration. Of course this had to happen. She buried her face in her pillow, muttering swears to herself.

A few moments later, her door opened once again. Michelle tensed, expecting it to be Amelia again, only to hear her sister's voice.

"So, you're back huh?" Natalie said, amusement plain in her tone. She leaned against the doorframe.

Michelle sat up, pushing her hair out of her face and staring at her sister. "You gonna laugh at me for being yelled at?"

"Nah," Natalie shrugged, sauntering into the room. "I did catch most of that last night, though. 'If you run away again, _v_ _oy_ _a lanzar en prisión de por vida!_ '" she mimicked their mother's voice perfectly. "Never heard her so angry before. I'm surprised you're even alive after that."

Michelle rolled her eyes. "She'll get over it."

"Where were you anyway?" asked Natalie, sitting on the edge of the bed. "It's not like you to just…disappear."

The cowgirl sighed. "I just…needed some alone time."

"Uh…for what?" Natalie raised an eyebrow.

"Stuff," Michelle murmured. "It's been…quite a summer."

"Last time I checked, you were doing pretty well after the funeral," Natalie said skeptically, folding her arms. "You've been acting just fine, and suddenly you disappear. That's fishy as fuck."

Michelle pursed her lips. Of course she wouldn't have been able to convince Natalie otherwise. Her weak excuse didn't add up, not even from her own perspective. She'd wished she'd taken the time to come up with a better excuse, although there was nothing she could use as a cover up when Sam, Tucker, and the Fentons were all wondering where she'd gone.

She would only have to tell the truth, except it wasn't her secret to tell. "Okay, you're right. It's…different, but I can't say what it is."

"Why?" Natalie pressed. "Were you off at a crack house or something?"

"No!" Michelle snapped. "God, Natalie. Does it seem like I'd do that?"

Natalie scratched her head. "Well, no…but you have been going out a lot since Danny died."

"Yeah, I've been working and hanging out with Sam and Tucker," Michelle pointed out. "It's called coping. Not getting coked up."

Natalie eyed her sister for a long moment. "So why fall off the face of the earth for nearly two days?"

"You wouldn't get it." Michelle mumbled, turning away from her.

"Try me," Natalie countered. "If not tell mom, then tell me. I wouldn't say a thing."

Michelle turned her head to meet Natalie's gaze. Her sister looked back with an even expression. Even though Natalie tended to be a tattle-tale, there were some secrets kept in between them, hidden away from Amelia. Michelle pondered if she could trust her with such big knowledge. Danny may not mind, but he did want to keep it between just the two of them for now.

"Alright," Michelle said hesitantly. "It's…complicated."

"I'm listening."

She took a deep, steady breath. "I was with…with Danny."

The silence between them grew uncomfortable. Michelle began to regret saying that as Natalie's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What? Did you, like, camp out next to his grave or something?"

"No," Michelle huffed. "I mean he's alive-well, not alive. He's a ghost. He's living in the Ghost Zone."

The confusion remained on Natalie's face. "You mean, he's been living there since he died?"

"Yes," Michelle sighed. "All this time."

For the next fifteen minutes, Michelle had explained everything to her sister. She recounted Danny's words, his amnesia, his message, his inner turmoil about returning to Amity Park. All the while, Natalie listened, completely silent. Her expressions changed subtly to the tone of Michelle's story.

By the end, Natalie seemed unsure what to say. She rubbed her hair thoughtfully for a moment before opening her mouth. "So…what does this mean for you?"

"I don't know," sighed Michelle, shaking her head. "I promised I'd go see him before I leave for college, but…"

"Mom would kill you," Natalie finished. "Disown you, lock you up for life, or all three."

Michelle gave Natalie a pointed look. However, she knew her sister was right. While Amelia wouldn't go to that extreme, Michelle was sure that she wouldn't be able to see the light of day for a long time if she left a second time.

"The only thing I could hope for is Danny revealing himself," she mumbled. "Maybe by then, mom would be more understanding."

"Sure, she'd understand that you were sleeping with your dead boyfriend instead!" Natalie scoffed, raising an eyebrow.

"Ghost," Michelle corrected, annoyance clear in her voice. "Whatever, anyway. I guess I'll keep my head low and be a good daughter for now."

"'Good daughter'," Natalie repeated. "That'll be the day." She laughed and turned around, exiting the room.

For the next few weeks, the most Michelle could do was stare outside at the gorgeous weather, watching as kids ran around, screaming their heads off and enjoying the summer. She felt bored; keeping herself busy by reluctantly performing chores. She'd play a few video games, watch a few movies, caught up on some TV shows. Luckily these things weren't barred, although she craved the fresh air.

Amelia took her keys, the only connection to the outside world was her phone and computer. The first day back, Sam and Tucker bombarded her with messages, demanding to know where she went. She took the time to formulate a small story, although she so desperately wanted to tell them the truth. They deserved to know too.

July turned into August and things seemed to speed up again, and before she knew it, it was the day before her birthday. She vaguely wondered if Danny would show up on the date; probably not. Either way, it was just a few days prior to her leaving for college. She'd spent the past week packing up her belongings, her clothes, photos, and some of her old earned show ribbons which she kept for good luck.

She sat upon her regular spot on her windowsill, gazing out at the horizon. The belt rested on her waist, slightly prickling at her skin. She'd gotten used to the sensation now; nearly forgetting about its presence completely.

Her door opened, and Amelia entered. "Hey, Michelle." She greeted.

Michelle briefly glanced at her mom. "Hi."

Amelia crossed the room, her hands behind her back. She stopped just before her daughter. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Michelle sighed heavily. She faced her mother, expecting some other nonsense scolding. However, Amelia's expression was calm.

"You're about to be an adult," Amelia started. "Going off to college on your own. Time has sure flown, sometimes I wonder where my little girl went. Sometimes I still treat you as such, because with everything you do, I'm so afraid that you'll end up dead."

"Mom-" Michelle started. She paused when Amelia held up a hand.

"Let me finish. I watched from the sidelines, praying that you'll come out alright. And you have, despite how many times you've gotten hurt. But the most recent one, where you nearly died…" her shoulders trembled as she sighed. "I didn't know what I would have done if I were to lose you. Seeing Maddie and Jack lose Danny, that was hard enough. I couldn't even imagine…"

Michelle continued to stare at Amelia, saying nothing.

"I knew you were suffering, and then when you disappeared…I thought the worst. I thought you'd gone to kill yourself, or run off with a bad crowd. So that's why I had to keep you here, just to make sure you wouldn't pull that stunt again. But I realize that you're a grown woman now. I can't keep you here forever. You need to go off on your own, flourish and live," Amelia removed her hands from behind her back, producing the key for the belt. "And I need to stop treating you like a child."

Michelle blinked, staring at the key, then meeting her mother's gaze. "So…you're letting me off the hook?" she asked.

"Yes," Amelia said. "But that doesn't mean you're free to run around and get in trouble." she leaned forward, unlocking the Specter Deflector from Michelle's waist. A click sounded from the belt and it fell off. As soon as it left her body, her power rushed through her veins so much that she nearly jolted.

"Yes!" Michelle whooped, jumping down to her feet. "Thanks mom!"

"Now, hold on one minute," Amelia commanded. "I want you to know something. I know it's been a few months, but I don't want you to dwell on Danny anymore."

Michelle paused in mid cheer, staring at Amelia in confusion. "What?"

Amelia sighed. "I mean, I don't want you thinking that just because Danny died, that means you'll remain loveless for the rest of your life. You fall hard for your first love, believe me I know."

"Mom, I don't-" Michelle began, although Amelia held up a finger.

"Hear me out, sweetheart," she interrupted. "I don't expect you to move on right away, but over time you'll realize you can live without him. You were always fiercely independent."

Michelle stared at her mother. "What does that have to do with anything you said a moment ago?"

Amelia sighed. "I'm trying to make a point, Michelle. I'm just asking that you don't dwell on the dead, or you'll be miserable for the rest of your life."

"So you're asking me to forget Danny entirely?" Michelle responded, beginning to scowl.

"No, no. I'm asking that you focus on other things. I know you loved him, and I know his death hurt you in any way I can't even imagine, but…" she placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "You're going off to college soon, and it's an entirely different world. You may find someone else, you may not. You're still young, and you'll have a lot of memorable experiences. Either way, I just want you to be happy."

Michelle didn't answer. Her heart sank to her stomach; knowing Amelia had basically reiterated what Danny told her before. They'd already established moving on would not be on the agenda. She wondered how Amelia would react to Danny's reveal.

"...Alright." Michelle finally answered, almost hesitantly.

"I know it's hard," Amelia responded. "But Danny wouldn't want you to sulk. He'd want you to enjoy the rest of your life."

Michelle took a deep breath. "Of course."

Michelle had a somewhat difficult time sleeping that night once again. What Amelia said was basically what Danny had said to her just weeks ago. She tried not to let it bother her, although the thought of moving on to someone else gave her an uncomfortable feeling. What if they were right? Was she wasting her time waiting for Danny to reveal himself, travel back and forth between Earth and the Ghost Zone to keep their relationship alive? It would be so much easier just to move on…

She rolled over, glaring at her wall. No, of course not. She said she'd make it work. Repeating the affirmation until it was mentally seared into her head, she was finally able to drift off to sleep.

The very next day, Michelle had woken up early. A delicious smell had made its way around the house, arousing her with a savory scent. She made her way downstairs and was met by Amelia and Natalie, who sang her happy birthday and presented a hearty meal with bacon, eggs, sausage, and biscuits.

Soon after, her first day of freedom was spent with her family. The day was gorgeous, bright and hot. They stopped by the farm, all three going on a long trail ride which lasted a few hours. As the day gave way to afternoon they headed to a nice restaurant to have dinner, whom Tucker and Sam showed up to share the occasion.

Nighttime arrived shortly after they went back home. The day had caught up with her, and fatigue began to set in. Bidding her mother and sister goodnight, she headed back up to her room. It was quiet, all but the central AC switching on with a low hum. She stared at her window, and then at her bed. Instead of laying down, she opened her window and took her favorite spot, staring out into the night. The sky was clear, the stars twinkling brightly. It was beautiful out, one that she'd love to fly around and just enjoy the peace.

Her mind couldn't help but to linger, thinking of the nights she and Danny would fly amongst the sky. She half-expected him to show up at her window and hold his hand out, waiting for her to join him.

The longer she thought about it, the more she itched to see him, at least once. She promised him that much. The days were only ticking down until her departure, and she knew Amelia would have her head if she disappeared a second time.

Although, it wouldn't be a bad thing if she'd gone for a couple of hours, right? All she had to do was slip out and make sure she came back before tomorrow morning.

She glanced back at her closed door, straining her ears to listen. Amelia was moving around downstairs, and Nat was playing some video game in the entertainment room. The night was still fairly young, and there was always a slight chance that either one of them could come in and find her gone.

Natalie would know, although it would be an awkward thing to explain. Michelle shook her head, unsure what to do. Go see the love of her life and risk breaking Amelia's trust for good, or be a responsible daughter and risk not seeing Danny until Christmas break or longer. Either way, both choices served bad outcomes.

She weighed each one thoughtfully. There was only a chance that Amelia could discover her absence, but not seeing Danny gave her a knot in her stomach. She'd made her decision. Swallowing hard, she transformed, floating out of her house.

Immediately, she flew toward FentonWorks. The entire flight she felt nervous, sweat forming on her forehead and her stomach churning painfully, thinking of all the worst possible things Amelia could do if this went sour. She expected her phone to go off, however it never did. Within the distance she could see the Op Center as the building underneath came into view. The lights were on and both cars were parked on the street. No doubt Jack, Maddie, and Jazz would still be up, meaning she had to be careful.

Instead of going to the door, she flew straight into the ground, phasing directly into the basement like she did before. This time, the lights were on and many of the machines were active. Many of them whirred to life from the presence of her, although no alarm sounded. She solidified herself and touched to the ground, facing the portal.

A noise of surprise sounded from behind her. Her heart shot up to her throat as she turned around, facing both Jack and Maddie, in the middle of working on what appeared to be a new invention. They stared at her in mild shock.

"Michelle? What are you doing here?" Maddie asked, clearly confused.

"I-um…" Michelle muttered, unsure what to say.

"Are you alright?" Jack asked. "We heard you disappeared."

"I-I'm fine." the cowgirl stammered.

"Did you get into some sort of trouble?" Maddie pressed.

"No," Michelle replied, biting her lip and averting her gave. How was she going to get out of this successfully? "I…just…"

"Do you need something?" questioned Maddie.

Michelle fell silent. She couldn't really explain to them that she wanted to go into the Ghost Zone to find their not-so-dead son, yet coming up with a lie seemed impossible.

The Fentons approached her, concern written on their faces. Maddie placed her hands on Michelle's shoulders, squatting to Michelle's level. "Whatever it is, you can tell us."

Maddie's indigo eyes bore into Michelle's, silently waiting for an explanation. Michelle swallowed hard, coming to the conclusion that she had to tell the truth. She couldn't go back home now, knowing they'd call her mother out of concern anyway.

"Alright," she sighed heavily. "What I may tell you will shock you…"

"You're pregnant?!" Jack immediately guessed.

Michelle scowled at Jack incredulously. "Wha- no!"

Maddie gave her husband a withering look, before turning her attention back to the cowgirl. "What is it?"

Michelle pursed her lips, knowing she'll regret having to say this. "Danny…he's…not dead."

Her comment was met with silence. Jack and Maddie stared at her, their eyes wide. Michelle's heart pounded awkwardly loud; immediately wishing she kept her mouth shut. Eventually, Maddie frowned. "What are you talking about? Of course he's dead-"

"No," Michelle interrupted. "I mean…he's a ghost. He's living in the Ghost Zone as we speak."

Once again, neither parent said anything. Their eyes turned toward one another, gazing at each other for a long moment before turning their attention back to her.

"Are you serious?" Maddie asked, her voice heavy. "How do you know?"

"You're not pulling our leg, are you?" Jack added.

Michelle shook her head. "I swear, this is the truth. I wouldn't lie to you about this," she paused for a moment as they continued to stare at her. "That's… why I disappeared. I ventured into the Ghost Zone and I found him."

An entire spectrum of expressions crossed Maddie's face, meanwhile Jack stood, appearing absolutely stunned. Michelle waited for either of them to speak next, expecting shouts of disbelief or cries of happiness.

Instead, Maddie turned away from her, facing the stairwell. "Jazz!" she shouted, her voice echoing. "Get down here!"

"So you're saying, he's been living in the Ghost Zone, all this time?" asked Jazz.

Michelle nodded. She faced the three of them, who sat down to listen to her tale. She started with the ice gem he'd sent her, to his amnesia and his reluctance to return to Amity Park. She spoke slow, keeping her words careful.

"I know I shouldn't have kept it from you," Michelle sighed. "But I wanted to respect his wishes and let him reveal himself when he was ready."

It was silent as the family of three all glanced at one another, uncertainty clear across their faces. Michelle couldn't tell if they honestly believed her, wondering if they thought she was talking crazy. She held her breath, the seconds ticking by as she longed for them to speak.

Finally, they turned their attention to her again. It was Maddie who spoke next, "Thank you for telling us, Michelle. I thought we'd lost Danny for good…" she sniffed, wiping a few years that escaped her glassy eyes. "But it never occurred to us that he could come back as a ghost."

"None of us did," Michelle responded. "I was pretty shocked myself when I found out."

"Can we see him?" Jack asked. "Can you bring him here?"

Michelle shifted her eyes to him. "I don't know. I may have persuaded him to come back, but I can't force him if he's not ready yet."

"Then we'll go to him!" Jazz put in. "We'll take the Specter Speeder and-"

"That's the exact opposite of what he wants you to do," Michelle interjected. "He doesn't want any of you to get hurt or get obsessed over seeing him."

"Technically, we can't get hurt in there." Maddie pointed out.

Michelle sighed. "That's true, but still…he's more comfortable with you living your lives as it is. He doesn't want you worrying over him, just know that he's just fine and he'll come when he's ready."

The utter disappointment on their faces caused Michelle's heart to feel heavy. She felt horrible having to tell them this; that their son and brother was still technically alive, yet they were not able to see him.

"I could…try to convince him further." Michelle said slowly.

"Would you?" Maddie croaked as tears rolled down her face. "Please, Michelle. I just want to see my son."

"That would mean a lot to us." Jack added.

Michelle nodded, although there was no guarantee. Even in the afterlife, Danny was still pretty stubborn. She'd have to try her best, all the while making sure she returned in time without her mother noticing.


	12. Words

_"Convincing Danny was easier than I thought it'd be. I didn't expect what would come next." - Michelle Durante_

The trip toward Danny's new home was a lot shorter than the first time, thankfully. While she'd gone pretty far from the portal, the distance wasn't nearly as long as she'd first thought. The ghostly residents ignored and bypassed her once again. The familiar violet door loomed in from the black and green abyss, and Michelle hoped he was home.

She slowed down, stopping just before the door, replaying the Fentons' conversation in her mind, over and over. How desperate they were to see Danny again, along with herself being shouldered with the duty to deliver him, somehow. She wondered what he'd say to her revealing his secret. Would he be angry with her?

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door and waited.

Within seconds, the door opened to reveal Danny, oddly shirtless this time. He peered down at her, his face betraying surprise, and quickly replaced with glee.

"Michelle!" he exclaimed, immediately wrapping his arms around her, hoisting her up as he embraced her tightly.

She returned the hug with a smile, his lips finding her own as they shared a lingering kiss. After a long moment, he released her, grinning widely. "Welcome back."

She chuckled slightly. "Thanks."

He opened the door wider to allow her in. Her feet touched the carpeted ground as she gazed around; nothing had changed in the past few weeks. Her gaze wandered over to his bedroom door, which was ajar and revealing an untidy bed. Her face grew hot as she remembered their wild time in there.

"How have you been?" he asked from behind her, closing the door.

"Well, I got in some deep trouble when I came back," Michelle said, turning to face him. "I got off yesterday, and today's my birthday."

"Oh- I totally forgot," Danny groaned, slapping his hand to his face. "Happy birthday."

"I was hoping you would show up and surprise me." Michelle casually brought up.

Danny pursed his lips, as if unsure how to respond.

"I mean, well, one could wish, right?" she added, giving a weak laugh.

Danny sighed. "Now that you mention the date, doesn't college start soon?" he inquired, immediately changing the subject.

Michelle nodded. "Next week, as a matter of fact. I'll be leaving on Monday."

"Man," groaned Danny, running his fingers through his snowy hair, allowing it to stand haphazardly on end. "That means I won't see you again for a while."

"That's why I came today," Michelle pointed out. "So we can spend some more time together…until, like, winter break or whatever."

Danny snorted at that, wrapping his arms around her. "Well, what do you want to do?"

Michelle looked thoughtful, leaning on him as she did so. She shut her eyes as her cheek rested on his solid chest; she missed the icy feeling of his skin. A thought struck and then she looked up. "Why are you shirtless, Mr. Modesty?"

"I was going to take a shower, and then I heard a knock." Danny chuckled.

"And you didn't take the time to put your shirt back on?" snorted Michelle.

"I don't get many visitors," he responded with a small grin. "Who else would come knocking on my door?"

"Well, I'm flattered," she giggled, and stepped back, his arms falling from around her waist. "Then don't let me stop you."

Danny half-smiled at her. "I won't be long." He responded, leaning down to kiss her cheek briefly before turning to the bathroom.

As the door shut and the muffled sound of water sounded, Michelle sat on the couch. She wondered how much Danny had thought of what she'd said to him previously, if at all. From her hint, it seemed like he was still on the fence. She thought back to the Fentons, their faces appearing in her mind. Somehow she had to convince him to come back tonight, regardless how he felt.

But that also meant she would have to tell him she spilled the beans. There was no way he'd be okay with it, and would make convincing him all that harder.

"Shit." She murmured, rubbing her forehead in thought. What would be the easiest way to do this?

Her eyes traveled around the room, losing focus as she tried to come up with a plan. Danny was stubborn, and death definitely didn't change that. Her gaze rested on the bedroom door, and her mind was immediately brought back to their reunion. Reliving the carnal moments amongst the bedspread, her body shivering almost physically feeling the pleasure again.

Somehow, she was brought back to their first time, the day they'd given their innocence to one another, how Danny would be incredibly cuddly with her, almost like a puppy. He was always like that afterwards; lost in the post-ecstasy. He'd uttered many secrets to her during this time, things he wouldn't say on a normal day. She could get him to admit just about anything in this state, as well as turn him into her personal errand boy.

She would have to use sex to convince him. How shallow.

Standing up, she turned to the bathroom door. She had to do this carefully. Quickly, she phased through. The tiny room was already filled with steam, the humidity surrounding her like a blanket. The tub had a dark blue curtain drawn across it; the steady stream of the showerhead was the only sound.

Her heart hammered. Out of all the things they've done, showering together was a new experience. It was much more intimate, and she felt nervous. He seemed to be unaware of her presence thus far.

She closed her eyes, the clothes cascading off her body within a second. Despite the heat, goosebumps erupted on her skin. She reached out and gripped the curtain, peeling it back slowly. Danny's body appeared, mostly covered in suds. He paused mid scrub as he was fully exposed to her. His gaze met hers, reflecting a slight shock.

She didn't speak, only stepping in beside him. The water hit her back, hot and steady, as she kept her eyes on him. He placed his hand down, a smile slowly crossing his face yet his cheeks lit up a green hue from his ectoplasmic blood.

She smiled in return, stepping close to him, stretching up on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. His hands found their way to her waist, gentle yet firmly pulling her against his body. Their lips met, a kiss deep and passionate as the water soaked them.

It didn't end there.

After the shower, their clothes were left untouched as they wandered in different areas of Danny's tiny house. The kitchen table and counters, the living room couch, floor, and armchair. Surprisingly, their stamina lasted quite a while. Her body bounced back rather quickly after one round, almost immediately diving in to another.

They'd reached the bedroom finally, sheer pleasure clouded Michelle's mind, and Danny had no complaints. They lay next to one another on the bed once again. He rested his head on her chest, rubbing his hand over her stomach as she idly ran her fingers through his soft hair. Fatigue began to set into her body; her lips swollen, her skin covered in hickeys and teeth marks. Danny's body was equally ravaged; his skin bore scores where her nails dug.

"That was incredible," Danny breathed, his voice frail with exhaustion. "I think I'm set for the next few months…"

Michelle couldn't help but to smirk at that. "I wanted to make sure I got my fill before leaving."

Danny gave a short chuckle. "Not that I minded."

The smile still remained on her face as she toyed with his white locks, tangling them and brushing them. Her mind wandered back to the initial plan, knowing how cautiously she had to approach it.

"Those last few weeks, it felt strange not being around you." She started, carefully picking her words.

Danny hummed in response, yet said nothing else.

"I mean, I was expecting to wake up and find you at my window, or show up late at night like you used to," she continued, "And quite honestly, I was hoping you'd show up for my birthday."

"Well, I did forget." He replied quietly, tracing patterns on her skin.

"I know," she sighed. "Can't really fault you for that, guess it's hard to keep track of time here without a rising and setting sun."

Danny nodded once. "Sorry I disappointed you."

"You didn't," she assured him. "I mean, you'll be coming back at some point or another anyway."

"At some point." He repeated lazily.

Michelle paused, thinking of what to say next. "I'll have to leave soon." She said simply.

Danny looked up at her, his green eyes wide and pleading. "Nooo…" he moaned, gripping her sides and burying his face into her abdomen. He loved to cuddle, and always pulled that whenever she had to leave suddenly.

She giggled slightly, stroking his hair once more. "Hey, it's not forever."

"I know," he murmured into her stomach. "But you'll be gone for so long."

"Well…maybe not too long," she replied thoughtfully. He peered up at her once again in slight confusion. "I have an idea. Maybe we can use your parents' technology to find a portal in Texas."

"Wha-?" he began, but she cut him off.

"That way we can visit each other more often. Shouldn't be too hard, should it?" she quickly interjected. "I mean, we've managed to enter a lot in the database in the past few years."

Danny's lips pursed in thought, not answering right away. He finally nodded slowly. "Well…that is true. But why would you need me to do it, can't you do it yourself?"

"It might take a while, besides…" she cooed, smoothing her hand across his back. "I figured you would like to see your old house again. And maybe…your family."

"My family…" Danny sighed, his eyes casting downward in thought. Michelle waited, holding her breath. The ghost boy bit his lip, looking troubled. Finally, he took a deep breath. "I guess I've been putting it off too long now."

A smile spread across Michelle's face. "Figured you'd say yes."

Danny's throat rumbled with a small laugh, resting his head upon her chest. "I find it hard to say no to you."

She giggled, her fingers running along his jawline. "I know."

"And you were right before, I shouldn't hide anymore." He murmured.

The smile grew wider. "So you're going to reveal yourself?"

Danny nodded, meeting her gaze once again, a half-smirk forming. "Slowly, but yeah."

"That's great!" Michelle gleefully cheered, the weight of worry disappearing off her chest at an instant. "Then I should tell you….I told your parents and Jazz."

The content look on his face melted to show surprise. "What?"

Michelle smiled sheepishly.

"Why did you do that?" He asked in complete shock.

She sighed heavily. "I got to the basement to find your parents down there. I couldn't lie and say I was locking a ghost away, so…" She merely shrugged.

Danny fell silent, his lips twitching just ever so slightly. She watched his brow furrow, as if he were decided whether or not to be angry with her. Finally, he huffed, a small smile forming on his face. "I can't be mad, I guess. It was bound to be out in the open sooner or later."

Michelle let out a breath of relief. She didn't expect it to go this smoothly; not after everything else had happened. She was just glad she can get this over with before having to leave for school.

The two cuddled for a little while longer; with the both as equally as reluctant to move. Slowly they redressed, stumbling awkwardly along the way as their tired muscles ached, mustering what little energy they had left. Together, hand in hand and smiles on their faces, they left Danny's small home. They floated amongst the abyss, and Michelle's insides were swarming with excitement. It was like a dream come true, Danny returning and making known that he wasn't completely gone. She no longer had to sneak out or ponder incredibly difficult ways in which they could remain together.

From the occasional ghosts passing by she noticed how many of them were staring, shooting them odd looks. She brushed it off, not giving them a second thought. She was just focused on getting back to the Fenton portal.

Soon, the portal was within sight, only yards away and growing closer by the second. Almost there, she thought to herself. She felt Danny squeeze her hand, indicating his own excitement. She turned her attention to him as he locked his eyes with hers.

"You ready for this?" she asked.

Danny nodded. "More ready than ever."

Before Michelle could respond, she felt and odd, prickly sensation. Her hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as a shadow loomed over her and Danny. It wasn't a friendly presence; and something told her she was about to fight.

"You ain't goin' anywhere." A low, gravelly voice boomed with a heavy southern accent.

Michelle's body tensed, immediately recognizing that voice. She and Danny turned around to face a white-faced ghost, dressed in a matching pale zoot suit, aside from the black fedora that sat on his head. His pupiless green eyes glowered at the two of them.

"Walker," Danny growled. "What do you want?"

The warden set his sight on Danny. "You know well by now that I don't tolerate rule-breakers in this zone, boy," he drawled. "And you two punks have broken one."

"What?" exclaimed Michelle. "What rule?"

Walker folded his arms, his head tilting forward in attempt to appear menacing. "A romantic relationship between a ghost and a human is strictly forbidden." He replied coldly. From behind him, two other ghosts adorned in riot gear appeared, their faces steely and holding up what looked like Tasers.

Danny gaped, incredulously staring at Walker. "What?!"

"But I'm a ghost too!" Michelle argued, planting her hands on her hips.

"Only half," the warden replied. "You still live on Earth. But now, it looks like you won't be going back, for good." As he'd finished the two guards began to float forward, their Tasers held high.

Michelle was about to open her mouth for a rebuttal, however she caught Danny's side gaze out of the corner of her eye. His mouth twitched, only ever so slightly, and her enhanced vision caught it within a millisecond. He'd mouthed, "Run."

Despite her immediate response was to not leave Danny, her better intuition threw her body into action. She swiftly turned around, catching sight of the Fenton portal and began to barrel toward it. However, she didn't get very far when a sudden volt of electricity shot through her. Her muscles seized up as pain coursed from head to toe, and her mouth forced out a screech. As the shock ebbed away, her eyelids felt heavy and her body entirely numb. She heard shouts as Walker and his guards overtook Danny as well. The last thing she saw was a pair of blurred hands reaching toward her, until her vision went completely dark.


	13. Cold Bars

_"Out of everything, prison is the last place I expected to be in. It's a truly terrifying experience, not knowing if I'd ever see the light of day again." - Michelle Durante_

The ground felt hard, and cold. Her head ached like no other. Muffled screams and shouts pierced through her ears. She opened her eyes, trying to peer through the dim light. As her vision cleared, she could see bars. Shadows marching along in an orderly fashion.

She sat up, slowly, the pounding in her skull increasing. Her eyes slowly swept around, taking in the details of her surroundings. Three blank steely gray walls. A bed placed up against one, a toilet and sink on another. She looked down at herself, realizing her outfit had been replaced with a striped suit.

Her heart sank painfully into her stomach. No way, no fucking way this was happening.

Michelle jumped to her feet, barreling toward the bars. She collided with them painfully; the metal not budging from her weight. She pressed her face in between them, trying to see outside. She was in one of many cells; lined up along a long corridor. Ghosts in riot gear, which she recognized as guards, were floating up and down the way. The screams were more prominent; other prisoners shouting obscenities or demanding they be released.

A startling clang caused Michelle to jump and back up from the bars. Her eyes met one of the guards', who held a night stick up. A twisted smile plastered across his face as he growled, "Off the gate, inmate."

Michelle opened her mouth to retort, when a familiar figure dressed in white appeared next to the guard. His hat tipped low over his pupiless green eyes as he raised a gloved hand to look at her.

"Welcome to my prison, punk." Walker announced, his smile matching the guard's.

"Walker!" Michelle hissed, running up to the bars once again. "Why am I here?!"

"Perhaps I wasn't clear before," Walker drawled, leaning down to be eye-level with her. "Your relationship with punk number one is unacceptable. You know how I don't like rule-breakers."

Michelle glowered at the warden. "Where's Danny?" she demanded.

"Elsewhere," Walker said simply. "You needn't worry; you'll be cooped up here for a while."

Michelle was seething. She didn't answer, her brain launching into any sort of idea how she could get out. And then she remembered…

"Maybe not as long as you think!" she snickered, focusing on her human self. She waited for the energy shift, and instead received a powerful shock. She screamed as it stung every cell, every fiber as her body crumpled to the ground. Just as quick as it hit her, it disappeared at an instant. Shaking, she sat herself up, staring at her still-glowing hands. "What-?"

Walker roared in laughter. "Nice try, punk. But we've fitted you with anti-human technology," he pointed to her wrist. She pulled the sleeve back to see a tight cuff, looking almost like an ankle monitor. As she glared at him again, he continued. "As long as you're in my prison, you're as much as a ghost as everyone else here. And you'll be here for the rest of your life, and your afterlife."

Pure anger encompassed her entire body. Standing upright, she tilted her head back and spat in the warden's face. He yelled out in surprise, stumbling backward into the adjacent cell door. Around them, the other prisoners began to laugh.

Wiping his face off, he met Michelle's eyes with a cold gaze. Instead of reacting out of anger, a cold smile slowly crossed his lips. "Enjoy your stay." He chuckled darkly, swiftly turning and sauntered down the hall.

Michelle watched him go, glaring daggers at his backside until he disappeared through a door on the other side. The slam echoed through the hall. The other ghosts began to chatter again, although she didn't listen. The anger drained as her chest began to well with panic. She sunk down to her knees, clutching herself tightly. Her breaths were quick and shallow; trying to calm the tightness that gripped her insides. His words echoed in her mind. She would die here, and even in death she would not escape.

She fought the tears that worked up. They stung, fresh and hot, threatening to fall.

"I have to get out of here." She croaked, resting her forehead on a bar.

"Good luck with that," a ghost from the cell directly across from her sneered. "Ever since your boyfriend pulled that stunt a few years back, security is tighter than Walker's ass."

At any other time, she would have laughed at such a joke. Instead, she sighed heavily, sitting back to lean against the cold concrete. She pressed her face into her palms, silently cursing herself for getting in such a drastic situation.

Hours had passed until the guards announced it was dinner time, and the cell doors swung open. Jumpsuit clad ghosts floated out, creating a single file line in the hall as they headed toward the doors. Michelle slipped into line, her heart pounding in hopes she'd find Danny soon.

They soon entered a large, cavernous room, not unlike the cafeteria back in high school. The smell was even the same; a distinct odor of week old mystery meat and a wad of raunchy sauce to go with it. She sighed and got a tray full of a grayish looking scoop of what she assumed was food, and scanned the area.

Some faces she recognized; Amity Park's regular terrorizers. Her gaze met Skulker's just a little down the way, and a wicked grin crossed his metallic face. She quickly averted her eyes, sweeping over the rest of the cafeteria until a familiar tuft of white hair stuck out to her.

She hurried over, thankful his table was empty. As she got closer, his head was down with his hands resting on the back of his neck. She didn't have to see his face to know how he felt at the moment.

She set her tray down with a little force, the gray goop splattering slightly. As if startled by this, Danny's head shot up, a fierce glint in his eyes.

"Don't screw with-" he stopped short when he realized it was her. Jumping to his feet, he reached over and pulled her into a tight hug. "Michelle!"

The physical reunion didn't last long as a curt yell pierced her ears. "INMATES! No touching!"

Michelle flinched as Danny retracted, both glancing over at the guards by the wall. Danny sighed and sat back down, shooting a quick glare toward the guards before turning his attention back to her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, urgency plain in his voice. "Did Walker hurt you?"

Michelle shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I spit in his face, actually," after Danny let a short laugh, she continued. "What about you?"

"Eh, his goons roughed me up a bit," Danny shrugged, rubbing his cheek that Michelle now noticed was swollen and slightly discolored. "Otherwise, I'm alive…well, figuratively speaking."

Michelle sighed at that. "We need to figure a way out of here."

Danny shushed her quietly, glancing at the guards. "Keep it discreet."

She lowered her voice. "Okay, do you have any ideas?"

Danny shook his head. "Not really. He's upped the security around here."

"No kidding…" Michelle grumbled, scratching near the cuff that sat uncomfortably tight on her wrist. When Danny noticed this, he looked at her in confusion. "It's an anti-human device. I'm stuck in this form."

"Jeez," Danny groaned, his hand falling on the table heavily. "There goes using my original escape."

"I highly doubt that could be pulled off a second time," she pointed out. "Walker's smart, but we have to be smarter."

Danny rubbed his head in thought. "If we could find a way around the security system, we could make a break for it." He murmured under his breath.

Michelle huffed in annoyance. "One of the other prisoners said this place doesn't have any cracks."

"How do we know for sure?" Danny replied. "There's gotta be a slip somewhere…"

Michelle turned her head, her eyes sweeping the cafeteria once more. Each exit was blocked by guards, the only one that wasn't was the way to the kitchen, although she highly doubted they could escape through there. She sighed and kept looking around. The cafeteria was mostly full by now; packed with prisoners from one end to the next, despite their own table being empty. She didn't have to guess why.

Her gaze landed on an inmate a few tables down, most of their body concealed by a curtain of long and thick black hair.

And then she had an idea.

"I'll be right back." She quickly murmured, standing back up and moving across the room. She slowed her pace down to not appear suspicious. Noticing the odd looks some others gave her, she kept her eyes straight forward, eager to reach her target.

She halted just before Desiree, folding her arms and quietly cleared her throat.

The genie jerked her head toward Michelle. "I told you, I will not give you a-" she stopped abruptly upon seeing the cowgirl. A glare crossed her face. "Oh, it's you. What do you want?"

"A favor," Michelle began, although Desiree bust out a laugh before she could continue. "What?"

"A favor? For you? After how many times you and your annoying boyfriend have stuffed me into that ridiculous thermos? Are you crazy, or just plain stupid?"

Michelle bit back a retort, and quickly took a seat as a guard passed by. "Look, I know I'm the last person you want to see-"

"Actually, I'd take you over Walker," Desiree rolled her eyes. "And that wasn't meant to be a compliment."

"Whatever," Michelle responded, quickly waving away the genie's quip. "I get it, you wouldn't want to help me…" she hesitated for a moment, and dropped her voice. "I wouldn't do this unless I was completely desperate."

Desiree smirked. "Most people who seek my help are desperate, but I don't feel sorry enough to waste a wish on you. Besides, I know what you're trying to do. Why don't you try doing that little stunt your boyfriend pulled last time? Revert to your human form or whatever."

Michelle yanked back her sleeve to reveal the cuff, "Not while this thing is on me, I can't. And since Danny is full ghost now, he doesn't have that option either."

The genie's eyebrows raised momentarily in surprise. "So, what? You want me to remove that thing and you can walk out of here, scot-free? While the rest of us continue to rot in here?"

"No, well…" Michelle trailed off in thought. "Wait, technically I can, since you HAVE to grant every wish you hear."

Desiree barked out a short, harsh laugh. "Believe me, if I could, none of us would be in this situation," she held out her wrist, showing a cuff similar to Michelle's. "Walker wished for a way to block my power… and he got it."

As Michelle caught sight of the cuff, her stomach plummeted. "Damn it Walker..." She growled, slamming her fist on the table, the cuff uncomfortably digging into her wrist as she did so.

"Now can you leave, please?" Asked Desiree irritably. "I want to finish my disgusting meal in peace."

Michelle sighed and stood up, just as a voice echoed across the room from an intercom, announcing that dinnertime was over. Desiree left her seat, promptly glaring at Michelle as she glided into the bustling crowd.

Looking over, she caught Danny's confused expression. She merely shrugged in defeat and allowed herself to be carried by the flow of inmates as they marched back into the hallways.

Later on that night, Michelle sat quietly on her bed as the restlessness of the other inmates began to quiet down. The lights clicked off one by one, shrouding her in complete darkness. Her back was pressed against the wall, her mind ablaze with different thoughts and ideas. If Desiree's power was cut off, what other way could she and Danny bust out of here? She didn't know the layout of this place outside of this hall and the cafeteria. Guards would patrol every half hour. There were no loose bars on the door as far as she knew.

Her wrist itched underneath the cuff. She dragged her nails awkwardly across her skin, her fingers smoothing against the hard material. It felt solid; like metal. She wondered if she could somehow melt it off. She held up her hand, the tip of her finger emitted a golden glow, only to immediately disappear as a jolt of electricity shot painfully up her arm. Biting her lip to prevent from crying out, she clenched her hand tightly, waiting until the pain ebbed.

She let out a sigh of annoyance, and her hand rested on the bulkiest piece, which was a small box. It was completely smooth, except for one inconsistency: a hole on the side.

She slowly rolled her finger over it. The hole was small, with an odd shape to it. Lifting her wrist up, with her enhanced vision, she could barely make out a peculiar shape.

It was a keyhole.

Her heart skipped a beat. There was her way out, a simple key that was kept somewhere in this building. All she had to do was find it.

A task easier said than done. Maybe the guards had the key, or Walker himself did. If she could only find a way to grab it without anyone knowing.

The murmur of a pair of guards echoed down the hall, and she immediately laid against her bed. They passed by silently, although she could feel their eyes on her back as she pretended to sleep.

She waited and listened, the slight clinking of something metallic. Soft, yet enough for her ears to pick it up. Were those keys?

She waited until they'd passed completely, their voices fading into nothing. If the guards had keys, then she just had to take down one of the guards. How she could and what to do after was an entirely different story.

The remainder of the night consisted of her staying up and plotting out a plan with the limited knowledge she had, which proved to be easier said than done. She'd gotten only a small amount of sleep. When the guards called for breakfast the next morning, Michelle had tiredly marched her way to the cafeteria, inconspicuously flagging Desiree down amongst the crowd of prisoners. Michelle had reiterated her plan, muttering over their oatmeal as the genie listened intently. Eventually they were called back to their cells, and as the two got up to part ways, Desiree had given Michelle a silent, tiny nod.


	14. Escape

_"Never have I ever thought I'd do this in my lifetime. Growing up with a cop for a mom, I was always taught to stay out of prison. Now I have to escape one." - Michelle Durante_

Her heart pounded. Sweat rolled down her forehead. Her fingers tingled as the adrenaline began to pump through her veins. The air was thick around her, the light in her cell almost adding to the heavy heat.

Her stomach churned uncomfortably. She forced herself to swallow the slop that was served to her, as if the taste alone didn't make her gag enough.

She waited, listening intently. The guards should be coming soon, as part of their regular hourly patrol.

Right on cue, she heard the large metal door opening and shutting. The murmur of the guards, their elongated shadows casting down the length of the hall, steadily becoming shorter as they hovered closer to her cell.

She stood up quietly, kneeling just in front of the toilet in the corner. Their hushed whispers grew louder, their figures just in sight. She stuck her fingers down her throat, immediately stimulating her stomach once again. She spewed her dinner into the toilet, making sure she was as loud as possible.

As her organs stopped spasming, she sat back, wiping her mouth of the disgusting bile. She could see the guards had stopped to look at her, both appearing very repulsed.

"What's wrong with you, inmate?" One of them hissed.

"I'm sick," Michelle rasped. "Isn't that obvious?"

The two looked at one another, muttering under their breath for a moment. She waited for a moment, and added a dry retch into the toilet. One turned to look at her again, a sigh emanating from under his helmet.

"Alright, let's bring her to the infirmary." He decided, and the other moved forward to unlock her cell. The first one slipped in quickly, grabbing her arm and yanking her to her feet. The guard urged her forward into the hall as the other guard stood close by, his frame blocking most of the open space in between the door and the hall, making sure she had nowhere to run.

The plan was in motion.

She walked slowly down the hall, sagging her shoulders a little to add on to the act. The guards floated just inches both in front and behind her. They passed through the door, opposite of where they'd go for the cafeteria and showers. Her eyes darted back and forth, taking in her surroundings. They were in a more open area; a large cavernous room that stretched up at least 3 floors. Cells lined the walls, prisoners shouting and jeering at one another. They didn't stop there as the three disappeared into another hallway. Cells were absent, and it was oddly silent aside from the buzzing of the lights ahead.

It wasn't very long until they stopped in front of a door with a glass window, with the words "Infirmary" printed in peeling black letters. The front guard opened the door wide and she walked in before the one behind could shove her in.

"What's wrong with this one?" sounded a crackly voice from the corner. She turned to see a burly ghost dressed in scrubs, sitting at a desk and arranging what looked like severely outdated surgical equipment.

"Caught this one puking her guts out." The guard who was behind her growled.

The doctor sighed heavily and stood up, making his way over to them. He towered over her, his beady red eyes scowling at her. Michelle did her best to look sickly; her eyes half closed as she met his cold gaze.

"I'll take her from here, thanks boys." The doctor said gruffly, waving a beefy arm toward the door. The guards nodded and floated out, shutting the door behind them.

Michelle silently stared at the doctor. "C-can you help me?" she croaked. "My stomach-"

"Yeah yeah, give me a moment." The doctor interjected hotly. He headed toward some cabinets across the room. She could see many different bottles and vials behind the glass doors. Syringes and needles laid out neatly on the counter below. She glanced over at the surgical tools in the corner. She had to be quick and smart about how she was going to do this, especially with someone as large as him.

As he began to rifle through the different medications, Michelle inched toward the table. She watched him intently, silently tip-toeing closer. She quickly peered at the assortment of tools, not knowing the majority of them. Clamps, scissors…blades.

She snatched a scalpel up, hiding it behind her back just as the doctor turned with a full syringe in his hand. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice what she'd done as he approached her, looking absolutely bored.

"This will only hurt a moment." He sighed, making a motion to grab her arm.

He never got that far. The scalpel she held drove into his side in a lightning-fast reaction. She felt the flesh give way like butter as the doctor screeched and dropped the syringe, doubling over as he did so, only for his face to meet her fist.

As he dropped to the ground, Michelle jumped back and turned, although something grabbed her calf and suddenly, her entire leg was yanked from underneath her. She yelped and fell forward, smacking against the floor so painfully that she lost her breath.

"Where do you think you're going?" she heard a growl from behind her. A hand clapped roughly on the back of her thigh as she felt the doctor levered himself up her body. Her heart pounded, her legs caught underneath his dense body.

"Get off me!" Michelle hissed, squirming underneath him. Her hands clawed at the ground, failing to purchase on anything as the smooth tile slid beneath her fingertips.

"I don't think so, little girl." He spat, leaning his body completely on top of hers. His body was crushing her as she gasped for air. She couldn't move, her muscles tensing almost painfully as she desperately wanted freedom. She felt his hands at her sides, pausing at her waist to tug at her waistband.

Pure horror shot through her as a million things began to run through her head. How could she avoid this? She wasn't exactly in the best position for self-defense. Her heart hammered as she felt his cold fingers beginning to yank down her pants. Blood rushed from her face and her stomach churned. Her entire body trembled as she readied herself for the inevitable.

She could feel his skin on hers for a brief second. She wanted to cry out, try anything to get away. All the different scenarios in which she could overpower him raced through her mind, none of which would be useful.

As if something had answered her pleas, she felt the weight lift off her just an inch. She took that split second to roll onto her back, and a look of surprise was met with a glare of her own. Her arms shot up, her nails digging into his scalp as she used the leverage to drive her knee directly into his groin.

The doctor let out a strained cry as he fell to his side, his arms cradling his abdomen. Michelle jumped to her feet and took no time to hesitate, as he was trying to get to his knees, she delivered a swift roundhouse kick to his head. The doctor fell to the side once again, his eyes wide and staring up at her.

She knelt down to his level, her glare hot. "Fuck you." She hissed, standing back up to drive her heel into his face. A small amount of ectoplasm spurt from his nose as he grunted from the impact, and his eyes closed immediately after.

She panted heavily and her veins were on fire, yet her body shook from the entire ordeal. She didn't have time to process what just happened when the sound of the doorknob turning alerted her. She tensed up and spun around, watching as the door opened up. In floated two more guards, their grins immediately switching to shock and surprise as they took in the view. In between them stood Danny, whose expression matched theirs.

Their eyes met briefly when the closest guard shouted, reaching for his nightstick.

Before the guards could even swing, Michelle and Danny were on them in a heartbeat. Michelle lunged at the closest one, slamming him into the wall so hard that the plaster cracked from the impact. The guard blinked in a daze, recovering quickly to try and retaliate. Michelle yanked the visor of his helmet up and delivered a swift punch to his face, bones cracking and the oozing of ectoplasm exploding on her fist. The guard fell limp instantly, and Michelle let him go as he plopped to the floor. She turned to see Danny, who'd tackled the other to the ground, deliver a final blow to the guard's naked head. He stood up, panting heavily as he observed the scene in front of him. His gaze landed on the doctor, whose pants were still slightly pulled down. He frowned and turned his attention to her immediately.

"What happened here?" his voice full of concern.

"We need to find our way to the head guard's office. That's where I can get this stupid cuff off." Michelle replied, ignoring his question.

Danny seemed as if he wanted to pry a little more, instead he said. "How do we get there?"

Michelle turned her head, looking for something useful. And then she spotted it. Plain white sheet of paper, although outlined in black. It sat framed just behind the desk. From her spot, it looked like a map. She bounded over, leaping over the desk as she did so. Her heart gave a skip of joy when she realized she was right.

Her finger slid across the glass, in search of their exact position. They were on the third floor, where the majority of the offices were. The cells are kept on the first two floors. Michelle skimmed over, her eyes darting back and forth, until she spotted what she was looking for.

"Head guard, just downstairs and overlooking the main area." She announced, her finger tapping the glass. They were on the opposite side of the prison, which meant a few hallways to cross. Hopefully there wouldn't be too many guards out and about.

"Great, let's get outta here," Danny huffed. As she turned around, he was swiping up the nightsticks from the ground. He straightened up and noted her look of confusion. "Just in case." He added, holding one out to her.

She stepped forward and took it, weighing it in her hand. She remembered moments of when her mother taught her how to use one if need be, and was glad these were no different than the ones back on Earth. She twirled it effortlessly and tucked it securely underneath her arm. "Let's go."

As Danny nodded and headed toward the door, Michelle made a notion to follow him, until she glanced back at the three on the ground. There was no telling how long they'd be knocked out; it could either be hours or minutes. They'd could be up just after she and Danny left, and would probably catch up to them or alert the prison. Or, someone else would find them and alert the prison anyway.

"Misha?" She heard Danny say. Her head turned to see he was paused with his hand on the knob, the door itself was just ajar. "We need to hurry!"

"We need to make sure they can't follow us," Michelle simply stated. "They could wake up at any time."

Danny blinked and frowned, opening his mouth to say something. Instead he let out a sigh. "You're right, but we can't tie 'em up. They'll just phase through it first chance they get."

Michelle bit her lip. She didn't think about that. She frantically looked around the room, trying to find anything that could help. Her eyes laid on the medicine cabinet; the amount of bottles and vials behind it.

Could ghosts be affected by sedatives?

She was across the room in a fraction of a second, yanking open the glass cabinet doors and beginning to go through the different medicines. Long, confusing names appeared, although some vials looked to be almost 100 years old with more commonly known substances.

"What are you doing?" Danny asked.

She didn't turn around, she didn't speak. She instead racked her brain. She remembered some of the cases her mother would tell her that were drug related. Most were the norm: heroin, meth, crack cocaine, weed. Yet there was always a few oddballs who would use less known drugs and medications to get high.

She recalled how one case in particular used some sort of sedative, usually used with animals.

"Michelle, we don't have time for this!" Danny warned.

Michelle look a deep breath, closing her eyes to focus. It started with a K.

"Michelle!"

She felt his hand on her arm, trying to yank her back. She resisted, not allowing him to break her concentration. K…K something…

"For fuck's sake, c'mon!"

Ket…Ketamine.

Maybe there was some lying around.

"Gotta find something." Michelle murmured quickly, yanking herself out of Danny's grip and going through the bottles once more. She shoved aside everything until a faded letter K appeared to her, and the name revealed itself as she cleared it completely.

And there it was.

"What is that?" Danny inquired, looking over her shoulder.

"Some serious sedative," Michelle explained, grabbing a syringe from the counter. "It won't keep them asleep, but they'll be seeing pink elephants for a while."

Danny blinked in surprise, then tilted his head in confusion. "Do I want to know how you know that?"

Michelle merely rolled her eyes, figuring it would be a story for another time. One of the guards began to stir, which she remedied with a swift kick to the head. She then stuck each of them, administering a generous amount of Ketamine, making sure it'd be a while before they were coherent again, or at least she hoped so. Together, she and Danny shoved their bodies into the closet and pushed a gurney in front of it for extra security, even though they could phase through, she had some small hope that it could buy some time.

She straightened up, as Danny dusted his hands off. "Now can we get moving?" He asked.

She didn't hesitate, tip-toeing into the hallway with him just behind her. With a quick glance down both ways, they were in the clear. She dashed down the hall, light on her toes as her boots made barely any noise against the floor, retracing the path she took to get there. The lights flickered above, casting odd shadows against the walls they ran by. They turned corners, only slowing just to check if the hallway ahead was clear before continuing on.

Remembering the map, Michelle knew there would be a set of stairs just at the end of the next hall coming up. She naturally slowed down just before the corner, only to see elongated shadows from the other end. She stopped abruptly, hearing Danny skid to a halt just behind her. Her heart skipped a beat as the murmurs of the unknown sounded.

She looked around wildly for something to hide behind. There weren't any doors close by, not even a closet. She gazed up at Danny, knowing they'd have to fight this one. He nodded in understanding, readying the nightstick he held. She followed suit, waiting as the voices grew clearer, the shadows forming more into their original figures. She held her breath.

Suddenly, the crisp sound of a walkie-talkie echoed in the hall. Walker's voice appeared, fuzzy and too disjointed for her to understand what he was saying. As it sizzled out, one of the ghosts gruffly said, "Copy that."

She let out a small sigh of relief as she watched the shadows turn in the opposite direction, heading back the way they came.

"Jesus, that was close…" Danny muttered.

She didn't respond as she crept forward, peering around the corner. Just a few yards ahead, she could see the backs of the two ghosts as they continued to float away, one twirling his nightstick as he spoke to the other, who had the unmistakable ring of keys attached to his belt.

Michelle leaned back and faced Danny. "I think we're golden." She whispered.

Danny blinked in response, his forehead creasing. "What do you mean?"

She gestured for him to look as she peered around the wall again. His body hovered over hers as he followed suit. The two were even further away. "That one guard has keys." She pointed out.

"So we attack them and take the keys." Danny stated.

"But one has that walkie," Michelle reminded him. "We need to make sure he doesn't try to call for help."

"Not a problem," Danny said casually. Before she could say anything else, he stepped out into the open, and began running toward the guards.

"Danny-" Michelle hissed, yet followed him anyway. He was quicker than her; gaining on the two within seconds. His hands shot out to grab them when one suddenly turned so fast, she barely saw the nightstick whack across Danny's face as she heard the uncomfortable thwack.

Danny shouted out in pain as he fell backward, looking absolutely dazed. Michelle skidded to a halt, her eyes widening as the guards began to advance on her, their wicked grins clear behind their visors.

"You really thought we didn't hear you two?" One laughed as he brought his arm back to swing his nightstick directly to her head.

Michelle immediately brought her stick up, countering it quickly. A striking blow to her knee made her yelp out loud as she crumpled to the floor. Her nightstick flung out of her hand as she tried to catch herself. The guards towered over her. Nightsticks were coming at her, and she rolled out of the way just in time, hearing the clank of the weapons on the floor just inches away. She scrambled to stand back up, although the pain in her leg caused her to nearly falter. She looked wildly around for her weapon, seeing just a few feet away. Before she could dive for it, the guards blocked her off.

"Where do you think you're going?" They snickered, advancing on her as she backed up, feeling the cold wall meet her body.

Her fingers sparked, an automatic response quickly followed by the electric jolt of the bracelet. She grimaced, her pain coming out in a low hiss as she braced herself against the wall and struggled to stay on her feet. The guards laughed harshly as they raised their weapons again, ready to strike. She squeezed her eyes shut, anticipating the pain.

Except it never came. Instead, she heard a grunt and a whoosh of air, followed by a crunch. She opened her eyes to see Danny. He had one guard clenched in his hand while the other lay on the ground, the helmet off.

Her eyes widened as she watched Danny yank off the other's helmet and smashed him face-first into the wall, promptly rendering him unconscious.

The ghost boy took a deep breath and turned to her. She noticed a little bit of ectoplasm dripping from his nose, presumably from the attack from earlier. "You okay?" He asked.

She nodded silently, her body tingling from the shock. The ache in her knee was mostly gone by now. Her heart was hammering a mile a minute beneath her ribcage, and she heard blood roar in her ears. "That was a close one."

"It was," Danny mumbled. He knelt down to retrieve the keys from the head guard. "But it paid off."

Michelle didn't respond to that, only watched as Danny fumbled with the keys. So much has already happened today, and they haven't even gotten out yet.

After a few minutes of quickly trying different keys, one slid into the slot perfectly. She heard the click as the mechanism instantly released its hold. It fell from her wrist, landing on the floor with a slight bounce. A wide grin crossed her lips as she curled her fists, fire erupting from them with ease.

"Let's go get Desiree." She declared.


	15. Freedom

**Thanks for all the faves and watches guys, but reviews are nice too! I'm curious about how people feel about this story!**

* * *

 _"I've lost count on how many times where I've been in a situation where there was no way out, yet to have a tiny sliver of opportunity show at the last minute. It was one of those times." - Michelle Durante_

It did not take long for the couple to reach their destination. After hauling down the stairs and throwing open the doors, Michelle was relieved to see that there were no guards present. Although, they had to work quickly.

As the two jogged amongst the rows of cells, surprised prisoners immediately called out and reached for them, begging and pleading for release. Michelle had to ignore them as a familiar face appeared between the bars, and she skidded to a halt.

Desiree peered at the two, a wide smile forming as her eyes rested on the thick set of keys in Michelle's hand.

"You did it," She said with an impressed tone. "I honestly thought you would fail."

"Have some faith, Desiree," Danny quipped as Michelle began to fumble with the keys. "Hurry, I'll keep watch." He added, turning to watch the other end of the door.

The cowgirl began to stick random keys within the slot of Desiree's cell. One after the other, none of which the lock yielded to. She huffed in frustration as the genie watched intently.

"Could you be any slower?" Desiree chided with a sharp sigh of annoyance.

Michelle snapped her head up, glaring hotly at the genie. "Shut up, not like I know every key in the system!"

"And arguing won't help either!" Danny shot at them. "Just get it done!"

Michelle took a deep breath and turned her attention on the lock again. Ignoring Desiree's muttering, she managed to find the right key. She let out a sigh of relief as the lock clicked and the door swung open immediately. Desiree didn't hesitate to float out.

"About time," she sighed, and then stuck her hand toward Michelle, pulling back her sleeve to reveal the monitor on her wrist. "Now this."

Michelle bit back a retort that she wasn't a slave, and instead she silently plucked a familiar key from the ring. The monitor was off within seconds.

"Yes!" Desiree exclaimed, her hands glowing magenta as she flexed, the colorful aura overtaking her entire body. The prison outfit vanished with a blink of an eye, her regular outfit in its place.

"Now that you've given us a show," Michelle started. "Think we can get out of here?"

Desiree only smiled, her attention shifting to the opposite side of the hall. "The exit is that way. We'll have to be quick before Walker catches wind on what's going on."

The other prisoners began to grow louder, shouting and pleading at the three, their arms reaching out through the bars to try and helplessly snatch the keys. Michelle sighed, yet they had to get a move on. The uproar would cause more guards to come.

As the trio started their way toward the opposite doors, they burst open as another pair of guards appeared. Their looks of shock and surprise quickly turned to anger as they charged forward at the three.

Michelle and Danny briefly glanced at one another and met the guards halfway. The skirmish didn't last too long; Desiree stepping in to end it quickly. Their ghostly bodies fell to the floor as their armor awkwardly clanked against the cement.

Leaving no time to dawdle, they rushed out of the doors, entering a bare hallway. The shouts of the other prisoners died as the doors shut heavily behind them. The couple simultaneously launched themselves in the air and rocketed forward. Michelle didn't know how close they were to the exit, yet she could taste the sweet flavor of freedom just within reach.

Suddenly, a loud noise echoed off the walls. Loud and high-pitched, a siren. Mere second later, the entire hall lit up with a crimson light. Michelle froze in place, her eyes widening as she looked over at Danny, who bore the same expression.

"They've found out." Desiree declared over the incessant noise.

"We need to keep moving, and fast!" Danny commanded. Michelle didn't hesitate to throw herself onward again. Hopefully they could be fast enough to beat the guards they haven't come across yet. There was a corner up ahead, where an exit sign hung just at the end. Michelle put on an extra burst of speed, the alarms continuously giving off their deafening wails.

They were nearing the corner, Michelle blindly giving into the turn when something hard and heavy smacked her across her face. The sheer force knocked her off balance, uttering a short cry as the floor met her side. Her mind and vision reeled as a pounding pain resonated from her head. She rolled onto her back and looked up, attempting to blink the stars out of her vision.

Standing there was Walker, grinning coldly as a group of guards hovered behind them, nightsticks out and ready.

"Where do you think you're going?" Walker drawled.

"Leaving." Michelle heard Danny say. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him standing defensively, and Desiree ready to fire right next to him. She immediately got to her feet, ignoring the onset dizziness that came with it. Her heart pounded, adrenaline like fire through her veins.

Walker let out a deep chuckle, shaking his head in cruel disbelief. "The only place you're going is to maximum security." He held up his hands, and the guards began to advance on them.

Danny and Desiree didn't hesitate to launch themselves into battle. Michelle followed just a split second after, exploding into a flurry of fire and fists. The fluidly dodged another nightstick to the face and jumped away as an arm thrust forward, a sparking Taser in the hand.

She heard Danny and Desiree fight with fierce determination, the grunts and cries filling the tight space. One guard lunged toward her, and she was quick to react. Throwing her leg up and out, the heel of her boot smashed into the side of the guard's helmet. The material gave way to her incredible strength as the shattering sound hit her ears. Her opponent was knocked to the side, promptly bouncing off the wall before sliding to the ground.

A smack to her back knocked the wind out of her. She struggled to take a breath as her lungs forced her to cough. Finally taking a deep gasp of air, she whipped around to see Walker himself had thrown the attack. His fists were raised, ready to strike again. She held up her arms to block when Danny suddenly flew in from the side. Walker's body flung like a ragdoll and thwacked hard into the opposite wall.

She glanced around for a moment, realizing the guards were now on the ground. Walker was the only one left. This should be easy.

Walker peeled himself off the wall in the blink of an eye, landing a punch square in Danny's face. Michelle flinched from the sound it caused as Danny's body arced backwards almost gracefully. She threw herself towards Walker, hoping to land a hit on him, however her hesitation had cost her. His large hand gripped her face as he spun around and hurled her. She only hovered for what seemed like a second before her body had hit the wall. Pain shot up her spine and into her head, the intensity almost sickening. She slid down to the floor, her legs crumpling beneath her. She opened her eyes to see Walker was now fighting Desiree, who was swiftly avoiding his attacks.

Danny was recovering, managing to get to his feet. If all three of them attacked at once, it shouldn't be a problem. She stood up, ignoring the trembling in her limbs as she did. Starting forward, some of the fallen guards began to stir. Walker had to go down fast.

As Walker was able to land a hit on Desiree, Michelle took that moment to throw a fastball of fire at him. The golden flames smacked him full on in the face, and he yowled in pain, slapping his hand to his temple as the flames smoldered his paper white skin and fedora.

Danny was next, slamming his fist into Walker's gut. Michelle could hear the whoosh of air escaping the warden's lips as he flew across the hall, skidding across the floor some feet.

"Let's go!" Danny shouted to them, just as a couple of the guards were beginning to sit up. Michelle and Desiree nodded, Michelle not hesitating to drive her boot in a nearby guard's face before turning on her heel and throwing herself in the air once again. Danny had joined her side immediately with Desiree just behind them both, flying closer and closer to the exit.

A cry of surprise caught her attention, and she glanced back to see Desiree had fallen behind. She frowned and stopped, taking in a better view. Something had a grip on Desiree's tail. Some sort of ectoplasmic cuff. On the far side, Walker was on his feet and his arm out, a chain of ectoplasm extended and had Desiree tight. He began to pull back, yanking the genie further from them.

"Hey!" Danny shouted, lunging forward to attempt to free Desiree, however he fell forward, slamming stomach first on the ground. Michelle glanced down to see one of the other fallen guards had woken up and grabbed Danny's ankle, just that that moment.

"You won't be escaping again!" Walker shouted, pulling Desiree even closer to himself as she struggled to break free. Desiree's hands glowed magenta as she readied to throw an attack. Only a second passed when electricity shot up the chain and engulfed the genie's body, her screams even louder than the still wailing alarm.

"No!" Michelle screamed, rocketing toward Walker as her fists erupted into flames once again, anger driving her will to beat Walker's face to a pulp. He saw her coming, and ectoplasm shot out of his free hand. She had no time to evade as it met her full on in the face. The force caused her to spiral down, hitting the hard ground for what seemed like the millionth time today. She grunted from the impact, every inch of her body bruised and battered, the fighting along with the lack of a full meal beginning to take a toll. She lifted her head up, her will screaming at her to get back up, yet her nerves were singing in pain.

Walker's triumphant chortle echoed against the walls, just as some of the guards finally had gotten up, their faces grinning down at her. She sat up quickly, attempting to get to her feet. A swift thwack on her back had knocked her over, her breath leaving her lungs instantly as she gave a rough cough, her torso flopping to the side.

Tears came to her eyes as she continued to cough, trying to take in air yet breathing hurt too much. She had to fight, to get out somehow. Her hands were yanked backwards as the guards prepared to cuff her. She tilted her head up just a little, to see Danny's green eyes staring at her as he was about to experience the same fate. He looked horrified, his eyes wide and afraid. His lips began to move. No audible words uttered from his mouth, although Michelle could make out just two simple words.

She understood immediately and closed her eyes, focusing on her human form as the cold cuffs gripped her wrists. Her energy shifted at once, letting the rings pass over her body, hearing the guards gasped. Her hands fell free, and she caught herself immediately, jumping to her feet and facing Walker and the guards with a little defiant glare.

"What-" Walker gawked. "No!"

"Nice try, Walker," Michelle spat. "You can't keep me locked up forever."

"No…" Walker murmured, his look of defeat suddenly twisted. "But I can keep your friends."

From her side, Danny was thrown forward, completely cuffed. He hit the wall with a little too much force, a guard had a grip on the back of his suit. Desiree was also thrown forward, half unconscious from the shock she'd received earlier.

Michelle opened her mouth to respond, yet a rumbling sounded. The floor trembled beneath her feet, almost as if an earthquake started. She looked around wide eyed as the others looked confused as well.

"What's going on?!" Walker barked as he looked around wildly at his guards as they too appeared confused.

The rumbling got stronger, a deep bass tone accented by what sounded like voices. Many at once, buzzing in her ears as it got steadily closer. She looked toward the corner they'd come from. One of the guards peered around it, and immediately doubled back.

"The prisoners! They're escaping!" he shouted, and Michelle's eyes widened. She'd realized for the first time that the keys were no longer on her person.

Walker began to issue orders to the guards as they frantically scrambled to form a blockade, completely abandoning Danny and Desiree.

"Stop!" Walker bellowed. "Halt! I DEMAND YOU CEASE AND DESIST!"

His voice fell upon deaf ears. Desiree had come to just in time as she and Danny glued themselves to the wall. Michelle followed suit immediately after, just as a massive crowd of ghosts stormed their way around the corner, paying no mind to the warden and his blockade as they mowed them over, the sounds of their bodies being trampled quickly covered by their shouts of freedom as the wave rushed past the three.

She could hear them, although couldn't feel them, she reminded herself as she was a human right now. They could just phase right through her. Their shouts and screams of excitement filled the hallway, easily drowning out the alarm.

The noise died down and the trembling lessened. She opened her eyes to see the tail end of the crowd disappear at the far end of the hall. She stepped back from the wall, her attention wandering toward the bodies on the floor. They lay dirty and unmoving, the floor soiled with droplets and pools of ectoplasmic blood. Her empty stomach churned at the sight, bile rising in her throat. Was it possible for ghosts to die?

"Michelle, come on." Danny's voice whispered. His hand gripped her arm, pulling her away from the somewhat gruesome scene. She turned and faced him.

"This is it." She murmured.

Danny nodded once, giving Desiree a glance. "Let's go before any of them wake up…if even they can."

"Let's not wait to find out." Suggested Desiree, beginning to float towards the exit.

The couple followed her, hastily making their way. The doors stood open, leading out towards the main area. The last few of the prisoners leaping out into the wide expanse of the Ghost Zone through the giant entrance. For the first time in her life, Michelle was relieved to see the black and green swirls of its abyss. Her nerves tingled pleasantly as they approached the open door her toes just on the edge.

She watched as the ghosts whooped and cheered happily, doing little jigs before scattering off in all directions.

She closed her eyes and let herself transform once again, her feet leaving the floor as she floated up and out, opening her arms out wide and taking in a deep breath.

"WOOHOO!" she shouted, a sudden energy burst through, and she twirled and backflipped in midair, the world spinning around her rapidly until she felt dizzy. She righted herself as Danny's slightly distorted figure approached her.

His arms reached out, wrapping his arms tightly around her. His gaze bore deeply into hers, a smile on his face from ear to ear. "I can't believe we pulled this off." He said, his voice trembling with a chuckle.

"You escaped prison twice, how do you feel?" Michelle asked with a small laugh of her own.

"Awesome," Danny responded. "Hell, you made it all possible this time. I don't think I could ever thank you enough."

Michelle shook her head, laughing once again. "You know, anything is possible when you're in love."

Danny snorted at that, leaning his head back to bark out a laugh. "That is so cheesy, you know that right?"

"You know it's true though." Michelle pointed out with a smirk.

His eyes locked on her again, a soft, loving expression on his face. His hand left her waist and made its way up to her cheek, laying it on her skin gently. "It is." He sighed. The land that remained on her waist pulled her closer, and she felt herself being dipped backward slowly, gently. His lips found hers, a sweet, longing kiss as her arms wrapped around his neck.

The sound of a throat clearing caused them both to look up. Desiree was floating just a few feet away, waiting patiently as she kept her eyes on them.

"You've fulfilled your end of the deal," she started. "Now it's time to fulfill mine."

Danny brought Michelle upright again as they turned to face her. Michelle opened her mouth, however Desiree held up a finger.

"Now, choose your words carefully," the genie warned. "You may not get exactly what you want if you're too general."

Michelle pursed her lips, turning her attention back to Danny. He met her gaze briefly, their unspoken words shared for just a moment. She wanted Danny to be alive again, but Desiree was right. Too general of a wish could mean a completely different outcome than what she'd hoped for. They could go right back to that moment back in June, only to relive the painful experience all over again.

She thought silently, forming and mixing words together before she could utter them. It took her a moment until she finally landed on the right one.

Taking a deep breath, she began. "I wish Danny had never died when we fought that ghost. I wish we'd beat it instead that night," as Desiree's hands began to glow, swirls of magenta mist appeared, beginning to swirl around them. "And I wish Danny and I were the only ones to remember this whole ordeal."

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Danny give her an odd look. She kept herself silent as the mist grew thicker.

"So as you wished it, so shall it be." Desiree's voice echoed as she and the Ghost Zone disappeared from view. Michelle and Danny were engulfed entirely by a wall of pink fog, constantly moving as if they were trapped in a tornado.

She closed her eyes and waited patiently, eagerly awaiting to see what would come next.


	16. Sleep

**Last chapter guys! Please review if you read! Favorites are nice and all but I love comments much more!**

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 _"Everything felt like a dream. A crazy weird dream that never seemed to end. Finally, there was an end in sight." - Michelle Durante_

Gravity itself felt like it shifted her core. It was as if her body felt lighter than air, despite her floating at that very moment. A very faint breeze tickled her face, whispering in her ear. She opened her eyes, and the mist had vanished. She was still staring into the Ghost Zone, the scenery had only changed slightly as they were no longer near the prison. Her next motion was to immediately look for Danny.

He still remained by her side, a look of confusion on his face. "Did it work?" he asked.

"I hope so."

"Why did you want us to remember?" he immediately added, turning to face her completely. "I thought you'd want to leave it all behind."

Michelle sighed lightly. "I did at first, I mean this summer has been quite a trip. All the pain and grieving to the excitement of finding you, and the panic of trying to get out of Walker's clutches," she paused for a moment, letting her thoughts compose. "And learning you were going to propose to me…to be honest, if you hadn't died, I don't know what I would have thought or said. We're so young and ready to start the next chapter of our lives. What you said that night at the Nasty Burger, about marrying me, I wondered if you were serious or just joking. It made me think all kinds of different things…both good and bad, being a child of divorce and all…" she took a deep breath. "But then you died, and that was the end. Until your mom showed me the ring. And I began to think…I wanted it too. I wanted all of it. I was ready to be a part of you forever, and by then it was too late."

Danny listened intently, his head tilting in curiosity. "So, my death made you realize you wanted to marry me?"

"Gee, that sounds so terrible," Michelle huffed, cringing slightly. "But, that's one way to put it, I suppose. I reflected on a lot. How much you and I shared with one another over the years, what brought us together in the first place. We're so unlike other couples, we've had our occasional arguments and fights sure, but nothing ever changed between us. Even when you dated Star…" she noted as he glanced down briefly, as if in shame. "No one else understands us more each other, Danny. I came to the realization that you were…are the man I'd want to spend the rest of my life with. And despite everything else that had happened, I want to keep that memory with me. And the entire experience I wanted to keep between us because it was a turning point. No matter what comes next, I will forever know that I want you to be a part of it."

She'd finished finally, the silence sat between them. Danny's brow furrowed as he contemplated her words. He rubbed his head, running his fingers through his hair as he sighed. "You go way too deep sometimes, you know?" she only rolled her eyes at that and he continued. "But you know what, I think you're right. You are right, actually. Despite everything, there are some memories I'd like to keep," he chuckled slightly. "Things like…seeing you after you totally annihilated that demon thing, hearing your voice call my name, the way your eyes lit up, our first night back together…" he stroked her cheek, a smirk playing on his lips. "And everything leading up to this moment, knowing that I have a second chance at life."

Michelle smiled at that, reaching up to take his hand in hers. "Now you see what I mean. I know it wouldn't have mattered if our memories were wiped, but who knows how different things could be from this point. It's time to come back to the real world, are you ready?"

He smiled as well, giving her a nod of determination. "Yes, I am."

After a little while of floating through the vast expanse, the Fenton portal was just within sight, and Michelle could feel her excitement grow as she anxiously awaited what would lie beyond it. They flew closer, halting just before the swirling entrance.

She could feel Danny's hesitance as his fingers tensed around her hand. She looked over at him. "You nervous?"

He sighed. "What if it didn't work? What if Desiree pulled a fast one on us? I don't feel any different…"

"We won't know until we step through that portal," Michelle stated. "But I have faith. Why would Desiree go back on her word?"

Danny shrugged. "I don't know, we've been enemies for years…"

Michelle shook her head. "Danny, stop worrying. Desiree is obligated to grant wishes exactly as they're stated."

"Yeah, but there's been plenty of times where things have gone wrong." Danny pointed out, still not sounding convinced.

She let out a small sigh. "I know, but that's why she told us to be specific. Besides, we've been through hell and back at this point. And either way, your family would be happy to see you. Let's just go through and see what happens."

The ghost boy pursed his lips in thought. His eyes casted downward as he drew in a long breath. His gaze fixed on her once again. "Alright, let's go."

She smiled warmly, turning her attention to the portal again. She leaned forward, floating through the swirling energy. At an instant, the Ghost Zone disappeared and the familiar sight of the Fenton lab appeared just before her. Danny was right beside her, appearing just a millisecond later. His face lit up with happiness as he gazed around his home.

No one else was down there, yet the creaking that sounded from the ceiling indicated someone was home. Different inventions were strewn about, whirring and clicking softly. They stepped onto the tiled floor, Michelle letting go of his hand to transform, becoming human once again. She looked over at him and murmured, "Your turn."

Danny didn't say anything, although he closed his eyes. A familiar flash appeared at his waist and separated into the energy rings, traveling up and down his body to reveal his human self once again. Michelle let out the breath she'd been holding. He opened his eyes and stare down at his hands, his eyes widening in complete awe.

"It worked!" he gasped, turning to look at her with glee. "I'm human!"

Michelle immediately hugged him, feeling the warmth of his skin for the first time in months. Emotion washed over her as tears welled up. His hands cupped her face as he tilted her head up, his eyes shining as he beamed at her. His smile never left his face as he let out a triumphant, happy laugh. "I can't believe it!"

"I told you," Michelle uttered as tears rolled down her cheeks. "It did work."

She felt his thumbs gently wipe the tears away. He brought his head down, kissing her with the same passion as after the prison break. Her hands ran through his soft hair, allowing herself to ground to the reality of everything now. It wasn't a dream, this was real. Everything was all real.

"Kids?" a female voice called, echoing within the lab. The couple parted their lips and turned their attention to the stairs to see Maddie there, peering at them curiously.

"Mom!" Danny blurted out. He let go of Michelle and bounded towards Maddie, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Oh, Danny!" Maddie giggled, clearly caught off guard by her son's affection. "What's going on? I heard shouting down here."

Danny released her and stepped back, a wide grin on his face. He glanced back at Michelle before turning to look at his mother with a sheepish expression. "Er, nothing mom."

"Well, I'm glad you're back from your mission," Maddie responded with a smile. "Dinner's ready in 5. Your father fired the grill up- no ectoplasm," She abruptly added, "Michelle, will you be staying, or do you have to get home? I know you're flying down to Texas tomorrow."

Michelle's heart sank, suddenly realizing the date. She'd lost track of time while in the prison, and her wish didn't change it at all. "Oh, um, yeah I'll stay."

"Wonderful!" Maddie exclaimed. "I'll go set up an extra plate." And with that, she bounded back up the stairs.

As his mother disappeared through the basement door, Danny turned back toward Michelle, his lips pressed in a straight line. He looked saddened as he murmured, "Right, I almost forgot."

Michelle sighed. "You know, it's not forever. I'll be back for winter break, obviously," She pointed out, giving him a half smile. "And we always have the internet."

Danny gave a halfhearted chuckle at that. "I wish I could come with you, or that you could stay here."

"Aw," Michelle reached out, taking his hands in hers. "You know after everything, being a few states apart is nothing compared to these past few months. And I feel comfortable knowing that you're just a text away." Her gaze turned downward, peering at her left hand. The ring glittered a faintly in the dim light, and her smile widened just a bit.

"Yeah, you're right," she heard Danny say. She looked back up at him once again. "I guess the next thing to do now is to return to normal life. Well, as normal as our lives could get anyway." He chuckled once again.

"Right, not normal at all!" she giggled. "Anyway, let's go get some food. I'm starving."

Mere hours later, the sky was almost pitch black outside, the dark of night beginning to swallow the last meager rays of light. The two cuddled lazily on Danny's bed, Michelle unwilling to move as she'd stuffed herself silly. Dinner was spent with a hearty chatter over burgers and hot dogs, with the Fentons wishing Michelle good luck at college. She was otherwise happy to get actual food in her stomach for the first time in what seemed like forever; the last meal she had was the disgusting gruel at the prison that she vomited up, she was surprised how long she'd been able to fight without any fuel.

Her hand smoothed over his t-shirt, the fabric soft and worn. His abdomen rose and fell steadily under her palm with his calm breathing, and she was thankful his temperature was normal. Neither of them said anything, slightly still in shock and awe that they were able to pull it off. Danny was back from the dead, technically he was never dead in the first place. And they had less than 12 hours to spend before Michelle would be boarding on a plane.

"Shouldn't you be getting home?" Danny murmured, his own hand passing in a consistent rhythm against her back.

Michelle blinked, slowly propping herself up on her elbow to look at him. "Tired of me already?"

Danny grinned and shook his head. "Never. I'm just sure your mom wants you home and in bed at a decent time."

Michelle let out a long sigh. "I suppose you're right. I just want to spend my last night with you."

Danny brought himself to her level, a thoughtful gleam in his eye. "Give it a few hours, I'll be there."

Michelle had gone back home shortly after, warily approaching the door, her hand hovering over the knob as she wondered what her mother would have to say to her being gone once again for a few days' time. She had to remind herself that things were different now, or at least they should be on her end. She grabbed the knob and entered, stepping into her home.

The lights were still on, an Amelia was patiently waiting for her, not to reprimand her or to ground her, but to spend time with her and give some last minute advice about college. Amelia had also gone over Michelle's things in scrutinizing detail, from every bit of clothing down to the amount of money in her bank account. Lastly, pulling out the itinerary for the morning.

After what seemed like forever, Michelle collapsed onto her bed. The prison break felt like eons ago, although the lingering fatigue in her body said otherwise. She lifted her head up only slightly to take a long look around her room. It sat mostly bare as the majority of the décor had been packed up. Her luggage sat in the corner and ready.

It was as if she'd stepped into another reality, the life of someone else. College had been the last thing on her mind for a while now, and she racked her brain. She could remember bits and pieces about packing, making final arrangements at the school and obtaining her weekly class schedule. Those little things hadn't changed.

Despite her exhaustion almost forcing her body into a much needed sleep, Michelle stayed up, glancing at the window every once in a while. The night grew later, and she could hear Amelia and Natalie go to bed at some point.

It was 12 AM and her eyelids felt heavy. She blinked, trying hard to keep herself awake. A large yawn escaped her mouth as her heart began to drop, wondering if he'd forgotten.

She didn't mean to lie down, yet she was tired of fighting the exhaustion. The sheets and pillows felt wonderful; comfortable and welcoming, unlike the bare, lumpy mattress in the prison.

She didn't realize her eyes had closed when they opened from a warm feeling shooting up her spine, accompanied by orange smoke curling out of her slightly parted lips.

A cool, gloved hand rested on her shoulder, gently sliding down the length of her arm and finally stopping at her hand. Their fingers entwined when she felt her bed shift, and she turned her head, staring into his bright green eyes.

"I thought you forgot." Michelle whispered.

Danny gave her a look, a smirk forming as his throat rumbled with a soft laugh. "You have no faith in me."

Michelle hummed in response, rolling over to face him completely. "What were you doing?" she curiously asked.

"Hanging out with the folks, and Jazz. She's leaving tomorrow too," he sighed. "Called Sam and Tucker for a bit as well," he trailed off in thought for a moment before continuing, "Ya know, it's like nothing changed. I felt like I was stepping right back where I left off. The only difference is the diploma hanging in the living room."

A frown appeared on her lips. "Sorry, I guess you didn't exactly get to experience graduation."

Danny only shrugged. "That's okay, I hear college graduation is cooler anyway."

"I guess so," she chuckled. "What do you think's after that?"

"Marriage," He responded simply. "I mean, if you're still willing to after a few years."

"Hah, you're funny," Michelle snorted, flicking his nose. "I honestly don't think I'd change my mind."

"You gonna tell your mom before you leave?"

"Hell no, she'd behead me," Michelle snorted. "Do your parents know?"

Danny shook his head. "Nah. Only Jazz does, since I dragged her out with me to help me pick the ring. I made her swear to secrecy."

Michelle sighed, tilting her head back in thought. "We do have to announce it sooner or later."

"Of course, but for now…" he reached out to cup her chin, bringing her face in to plant a gentle kiss on her lips. "You being my secret fiancée, I kind of like the idea."

"You make it sound dangerous." Michelle pointed out, her body trembling to hold in laughter.

"Well, it would be after the news reaches your mom." Danny joked, a playful grin on his face.

"Then let's put it off for a little bit, huh?" Michelle uttered a soft giggle. "I'm thinking for a year or two."

Danny smiled at her. "If you think that's the right call."

Michelle nodded slowly. "And the wedding? Well…we've got a while to plan that out, don't we?"

"Hopefully not too long." Danny murmured, his hand reaching for hers again. Their fingers toyed with one another, his cool aura radiating against her warm skin. She could stay like this forever, resting peacefully and carefree as the world spun around them. It had gone completely silent aside from faint crickets chirping and the occasional rumble of a car driving on a nearby street.

Michelle wiggled herself closer, burying her face into his chest. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, locking in his scent for one last time. "Fuck, I'm going to miss you." She murmured, her voice muffled by the fabric.

She felt his arms hold her close, tight enough as if he wasn't willing to let go. "Me too," He softly responded, his voice barely audible yet thick with emotion. "But let's not think about that…" he added.

Michelle peered up at him. "Okay, what should we think about then?"

"Anything," he said with a small shrug. "Like, all the good times we've had. The things we can do after we're done with college."

Michelle hummed quietly in response, her eyelids once again beginning to feel heavy. Danny continued to speak to her, recalling different memories from the past few years. Some happy and some silly, others intense. Her mouth twitched into a smile every once in a while, fondly enjoying them all again.

His voice became quieter and distorted, almost far away even. His words blurred into faint images. She only blinked her eyes open when Danny's next phrase caught her attention.

"You're tired, you should sleep." He whispered, giving her a soft gaze.

"No…" she moaned, her voice graveled with fatigue, attempting to blink away the overwhelming urge to keep her eyes closed. "I'll stay awake…" she added, only to end with a yawn.

Danny let out a tiny chuckle. "You're always so stubborn."

"Oh, look who's talking," She lightly retorted. "I just want to stay awake with you."

He sighed at that. "Even if you fall asleep, I won't leave."

"I'd rather just spend the night staring into your eyes." Michelle jokingly responded.

Danny snorted at that, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Then that plane ride's gonna suck."

She drew in a long breath. "You have a point." Her sentence ended once again with a wide yawn.

"Just sleep, Misha," Danny cooed. "Like I said, I'll be here, even when you wake up."

She couldn't help but to smile at that. "I'd like that, but you better high tail it before my mom comes in during the morning to get my ass out of bed." She pointed out.

Danny had to keep himself from laughing, a goofy grin on his face as he shook the bed with his contained chortles. "I'll be sure to do that."

It didn't take much longer for Michelle to finally drift off. Danny didn't stop talking, his voice quiet and running his fingers through her hair in a slow rhythm. She knew he just wanted her to rest peacefully, and she didn't argue further from that point. She was comfortable, the most she'd been in a while. Her eyes were closed, yet she wasn't fully asleep yet. Her mind was suspended somewhere between being conscious and experiencing a light doze. His voice carried through her occasional dreams, from fond memories to sweet fantasies.

For the first time in a while, she was truly happy.


End file.
